Life had Other Plans
by M.S.Carol
Summary: Starts at the wedding:He walked away. She'd finally broken him. So the treaty stayed and she could never return. So he thought. But years later, he is confronted by a lonely creature, who turns those around her mortal. And the consequences are grave. Story is about redemption, literally finding humanity, laughing again and rekindling a love that was always there.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Chapter 1: Chapter 1**

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><p><strong><em>AN: Every once and a while a story keeps nagging at you until the voices become so loud that you have to write it for the sake of sanity._**

**_Anyway, this story is a Jacob and Bella story. And I wrote it because even thought I'm definitely a Team Edward gal…every once and a while Jacob will sneak up on me._**

**_This story takes place at Bella's wedding reception and Jacob shows up for a dance._**

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><p><strong><span>Goodbye Twisted Triangle<span>**

"Dance with me," she proposed with an open palm before he even finished saying hi.

He knew he shouldn't but couldn't find it in him to say no, especially when she looked so beautiful in her dress that clung to her like painted glass.

He took a big breath and wrapped his hands around her. He never was a good dancer but for her he would try.

He gazed his surroundings, there were so many watchful eyes of guest, his fellow wolves, the Cullens and of course _him. _

"Jacob, pay attention," Bella whispered. "I'm right here. Forget everyone else."

He nodded as they swayed together with the music.

"Everything is so perfect, now that you are here," she smiled.

This was far from perfect, he thought.

She laughed as he twirled her once before wrapping his arms around her waist again.

The music changed, another symphony to cue another dancer, it was her wedding day and he was sure others wanted their turn to dance with the bride but he couldn't let her go, not yet.

He almost hadn't made it for how could he watch her marry the wrong…man?

Yet, he came, he needed to see her with him, in hopes it would force him to let her go to give up.

But his traitorous heart couldn't let go, it demanded to fight even though a pretty ring was already lodged on her finger letting the world know that she belonged to another.

"It didn't have to be like this," his voice trembled as he pressed his forehead against hers. She felt soft, and smelled sweet like lilac, he thought, and something he couldn't quite pinpoint but loved all the same.

The idea of not having her this close caused despair to form inside his throat.

"You know, I'll always remember you like this…"

"Jake, please don't," she begged.

"…Warm, soft pinks cheeks, two left feet, human and perfect just the way you are."

"Jake…please" she warned softly.

But he continued, he couldn't be the only one going through this, he thought.

"I'm sorry but I have to say this, while you're still here in my arms. I wish…God…" He swallowed the frustration, trying not to appear upset "…we could have had such a great life together," he said with such mourning in his stare. "Can you see it, Bella? Can you see the times we still had ahead? Growing up. Really living. There was so much to discover, about each other and us. There was such a rich future of possibilities. I dream about those possibilities, growing-up, falling in love over and over again. We could travel you know, remember how we used to talk about it? Then one day we would… get married…" he swallowed knowing this would go south soon "…and one day you running up to me with panicked-excitement in your eyes…because you were pregnant."

Her eyes turned glassy, ready to cut him with her tears. Surely, she had imagined a life with him at some point.

"Jake, stop," she whispered, breathing him in, taking in his warmth and the sound of his heartbeat; she would mourn those possibilities, she couldn't deny it. "I made my choice. We talked about this you need to respect it."

Jake shook his head, tears suspended in his eyes as he held her impossibly closer, their flesh only separated by bits of fabric.

"You know what hurts more?" he whispered painfully. "I can see it in your eyes that you love me, and it kills me because I know you do. But you picked him. I see how you look at him, it's not love Bella it's infatuation. You're just too stubborn to see…"

"Enough!" she growled, trying to resist this feeling that had formed a knot of doubt in her chest. But no, she needed to make him see that he was never the option. She needed to convince herself and push him away even if it meant that she had to hurt him. "When will you understand that we can never be? I'm ready to live my life…please stop getting in the way. It's…it's getting old…this silly crush of yours."

Her words slash him like a ragged knife and he couldn't help but feel abandoned, rejected and angry. He let the feelings consume him because it was easier than the pain.

"Silly crush you say," he let her go and could feel the loss in the pit of his stomach that begged him to go back to her, to hold her once more. "Fine, you made your choice and are sticking by it but it doesn't mean it's the right choice. But don't worry, I'll no longer get in your way…ever. Goodbye, Bella."

He stepped back and turned around.

"Wait…don't go…please," she begged softly. "I can't lose you."

He shook his head. She wanted them both, he understood that now but he wasn't going to play along.

"You made your choice and here is mine… the treaty stays…if they bite you, you are our enemy, so if you ever return…know that I will…end you."

He walked away hearing her sob. He felt like a son of bitch but what other choice did he have? She had used him, broken him, taken his heart without giving hers in return and still wanted to keep him…as a friend. She had no right to ask him to stay by her side when there was nothing left for him. So even though he never felt so cold and empty, he walked away.

0-0-0-0

**97-years later**

Pounding rain covered the forest floor as wolf prowled through the wet cold darkness.

There hadn't been a sighting of vampires for nearly a decade and perhaps it was word-of-mouth that the mountains of Washington were littered with supernatural wolves out for bloodsuckers' heads that had kept them away.

But tonight was the night. Jake felt it. He would find the vampire that had been lurking in his woods.

For something had felt off in the woods, perhaps it was the birds that were too quiet or the bears that were unusually on edge that caught his attention but it was more than that, it was instinct that was telling him that something was stalking him.

He made another turn down the hill but nothing.

_Where the hell are you! _He growled as he searched through the shadows.

He jumped back up the hill when he caught something move in a flash of red and black.

'FINALLY!' his insides roared.

He chased the creature, feeling his paws break through the familiar wet ground that shook under him as he gained momentum.

He was close and it thrilled him, this is what he lived for to hunt, chase and rip bloodsuckers apart.

He snapped his sharp teeth at the creature's limbs when suddenly he felt a sharp debilitating shock inside his head causing him to blackout.

0-0-0-0

Not a pleasant reunion

Rumpled groans rippled through his consciousness as he came to.

"What happened?"

How long he had been out he didn't know. Where he was, he knew exactly where.

Somehow, some thing had known where he lived and worse had him chained-up into a tight metal-chained burrito. To say it was uncomfortable and slightly humiliating was not saying enough.

"Damn it," he hissed.

He closed his eyes trying to calm his nerves. Never had a _bloodsucker_ had an upper hand on him, especially now that he had grown stronger and faster with age.

He tried to break the chains but it was useless and frustrated him to no ends.

"Show yourself you coward!" he screamed out enraged.

He continued to holler out until finally the door to his basement opened revealing the cloaked figure he had chased.

He may have not been in wolf form but Jake growled his displeasure all the same.

"Release me now," he answered with the full authority as the descendent of Chief Black. "And my pack might just kill you quickly instead of ripping you apart slowly and painfully."

The cloaked figure shook its head; it didn't appear perturbed by his warning.

"Why have you come here?" he yelled.

More silence followed.

"Answer me!"

The cloak figure let out a feminine sigh.

"I'll tell you but I need you to relax," her voice shook at the words for she hadn't spoken to anyone in nearly 4 decades.

_No it couldn't be, _he thought.

"Bella," his voice came out as an unintended whisper that pained a very old bruise that still lived inside his chest. "Is that you?"

"Hi Jake. It's been a long time," she said and without thinking she pulled off her cloak revealing her soft loose curls and beautiful milky white face, enhanced with pink lips and _auburn-red eyes!_

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><p><strong>AN: Next chapter is titled 97-years later. And Yes Bella is a vampire and I know allot of people are not thrilled about Bella as a vamp in these fics but trust me this ain't the normal route for vampire Bella. Give it a chance…you might like it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Chapter 2: Chapter 2**

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><p><em>"Bella," his voice came out as an unintended whisper that pained a very old bruise that still lived inside his chest. "Is that you?"<em>

_"Hi Jake. It's been a long time," she said and without thinking she pulled off her cloak revealing her soft loose curls and beautiful milky white face, enhanced with pink lips and_**_auburn-red eyes!_**

His reaction was immediate.

"You murderous leech, you will die for coming here!" he exclaimed as he struggled again against the chains. She was what he had always feared_, a monster._

She looked away lost in her thoughts, a look of sadness and shame crossing her face.

"You really did mean it when you would said that you would love me until my last dying breath," she whispered. "And now that I'm this…you hate me so blindly."

She walked around the room feeling loneliness creep in, it scared her for it had been chipping away at her, making her almost forget that she had ever been human or had people who once loved her.

She could hear him struggling against the chains, the wolf within him screaming to kill her.

"You're going to hurt yourself," she pointed out.

"Shut it," he hissed and continued to move.

"I tied you up pretty darn…"

"I said to shut the hell up!"

She flinched again but felt the anger rise inside her chest. He didn't have to scream.

"When I get my hands on you…" he muttered.

"You'll what?" she interrupted, her demeanor changing as she ghosted through the basement and stared into his angry eyes.

She looked down on him like a tiny cockroach she could easily squash. "You'll break those chains then come after me, break my neck, rip me apart and burn me to ashes?" she gave out a bitter laugh. "Try it, I dare you…come on do it! DO IT!" Her screams echoed to through the room.

She looked riveted in anger, a foreign creature barely appearing human. He could see that she was no longer the innocent, strong young woman he had vied for, fought for and wanted more than life itself. Instead, she was a wild animal ready to kill anything in her path.

But Jake was not the type to back down.

"I will," he said through gritted teeth, showing his discontent. "End you."

She snorted, actually snorted at his statement.

He tried to move again but the chains just felt heavier.

_Why can't I break these chains?_

"Stop trying Jake, you're only going to give yourself a hernia," she warned but then realized how funny the statement sounded. She laughed and it felt good.

"Did you drug me?" he asked ignoring her attempt for cheap humor.

_She must have tranquilized me_, he concluded but even then he would have burned off the narcotics by now.

She neared him and it surprised him that she didn't stink but instead smelled fresh, like the soil after the rain.

"Oh Jake," she began, "I gave you something that you always wanted."

He gave her a puzzled look.

"You're completely human," she whispered.

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><p><strong><em>So have you guessed Bella's gift? Please review. <em>**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Chapter 3: Chapter 3**

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><p><strong>Do you want to be human?<strong>

Last time:

_"Oh Jake," she began, "I gave you something that you always wanted."_

_He gave her a puzzled look._

_"You're completely human," she whispered._

"What?" he felt the blood drained from his cheeks.

"You're all human," she repeated.

"That can't be," his heart elevated. His breath hitched.

She sighed. "But it can. It's kind of _my gift_," she said sarcastically. "I can turn supernatural creatures…human."

_No. No. No. No. No, _his mind repeated over and over again.

But he knew deep down it was true.

He was weak.

Breakable.

**Completely Human.**

"You're lying," his voice trembled. "Tell me you're lying.

She shook her head, looking ashamed. "I kind of wish I was, now. But no, I'm not lying. If I was, you would have already torn those chains like twigs and ripped me apart before I even had a chance to say 'hello Jake, I've missed you.'"

She watched as he groaned and muttered obscenities.

"Come on Jake, please calm down."

He growled.

"CALM DOWN? You want me to CALM THE FUCK DOWN? THERE IS NO FUCKING COMING DOWN!" he yelled.

He didn't know if he was angry with her or afraid, yet his heart thumped so rapidly against his ears he knew it was more of the latter.

"How the hell do you want me to relax? You had no right Bella…no right to have steel this from me."

More guilt seeped into her chest but she was determined to prove to herself that she did the only thing she could do. "But you always said you wanted to be normal," she reminded him. "I can remember it as clear as day. You wanted to be normal and you wanted to be…with me."

"Well things change," he hissed. "I want my abilities back and I want you the hell…" but he couldn't finish the sentence before she silenced him by brushing her hand very carefully against his face.

He gasped when he felt her other hand on his chest and realized he couldn't think as her fingertips glided over dips of his chest and torso.

When she pressed her cheek to his exposed chest and breathed against him he felt his eyes roll into his head, it felt so divine to be touched by her, especially when she had never touched him so before.

"I missed your heartbeat, your warmth," she admitted, a little too freely with a carefree smile. "You were always were so warm. I missed you so much, Jacob. I needed you so much you have no idea," she smiled.

Her words broke his trance and he tried to wiggle out of her grasp.

"Get your filthy hands off me," he demanded, but it wasn't very convincing.

Nonetheless, she did what he asked and sat up pulling away from him. His body whimpered at the lost of her touch, but there were more important things to address at the moment.

"Now tell me why you're here?" he demanded.

She didn't speak, instead she observed him, her face glowed under the tiny lamp that lit the room, and he couldn't believe it was really her.

He had pictures and even videos of her from when they were young but nothing compared to having her in person, except now she was a bloodsucker and he was chained up on the floor of his own basement.

"Bella, why did you come back?" he asked again as though he were talking to a small child.

She shrugged. "I was ready to come home," she answered truthfully. "I wanted to see my friend."

That wasn't the answer he wanted to hear.

"There is nothing for you here, everyone that cared for you are dead," he spat trying to pour as much hatred in his words.

She glared at him with defiance in her stare.

"You're lying," she answered. "You're still around. My. One. Last. Friend."

His insides roared again.

"I'm not your friend!" he yelled. "And where the hell are all your _friends_? Where are those Cullens you love so much that you were willing to sacrifice everything for?"

Bella took a deep breath that stung in her chest.

"I don't want to talk about them," she pleaded with her eyes.

But Jacob persisted.

"What? Did they abandon you? After everything he went through, he left you. That's rich!" he laughed.

Before he knew it she slammed him into against a stonewall, the fact that she hadn't broken bones was a miracle.

Her eyes were pitch-black. Her teeth appeared menacing and sharp as she spoke. "Don't mock me…_human_."

She slammed him again and he couldn't help but groan from the sharp pains in his flesh.

His body began to bruise and she could smell it.

"Oh God," she sounded mortified.

She returned him gently onto the floor. She needed to breathe and relax before this got out of control. She didn't want to hurt him. Above all else she needed him alive.

She took several breaths, telling herself everything was going to be okay when she heard a pained laugh.

"What can't handle that you were wrong? That it was a mistake."

_This is not how it was meant to be, _she thought.

That's when she saw her cover her face as though covering tears that would never come. He felt like a douche bag for making her cry.

"Bella, I'm…"

But it was too late. She had closed the door behind her leaving him behind in the poorly lit room.

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><p><strong>AN: So what do you guys think happened to the Cullens?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Chapter 4: Chapter 4**

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><p><strong>AN: So yes...please note that I am reposting this. I did a couple of edits. Story is essentially the same. The reason why I did it was that I was reading through it and caught a few things. Mine you I'm sure it's still not perfect. I can only catch so much much but I'm trying.**

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><p><strong>Solitary Immortality<strong>

Her bare feet glided against the mud as she sped through the clearing, away from Jake's house and his questions.

_Where are the Cullens?_

She didn't want to think about it, but already her mind was replaying everything and she felt guilt overpower her until she kneeled in the mud and screamed out the pain.

It had been a few months after the wedding and after much pleading she finally convinced him.

_"Turn me, please," she pleaded._

_Edward sighed and pressed his forehead to her head._

_"I wish you understood how much I value your humanity, how much I wish I could be human as you are, so we could grow old together."_

_Bella rubbed his cold stone hand. He had mentioned it so many times, how he wanted to have a family with her. How he wished he was human. And a piece of her almost wished it too._

_"Let's not focus on what if," she reminded him. "You promised, Edward. Keep your promise to me."_

**_0-0-0-0_**

How she wished he never had turned her it had been a mistake that had left her solitary hell.

But after so many years she hoped for something different and decided to return home to see if the last person she cared about still existed. She had dared to hope, until Jake started to bark at her like a rabid dog.

_He looked at me like I was a monster…the monster that I am. I…I don't deserve happiness, _she thought. _But I need something good. I need to try. I can't go on by myself without losing my mind. I need him._

A determination seeped in her bones. There was no other way. She needed him.

She returned to the basement only to find him struggling against the chains, even now he was determined to get free.

His eyes glanced at her and a rage surged through him.

"You've been gone for hours!" he hissed. "Do you even have a concept of time? God damn it! I'm tired of being tied up."

She shook her head, realizing that indeed time was such a foreign thing to her, it was only the watch she carried with her that reminded her of time but she barely looked at it.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't realized."

"Ugh! Just let me go," he hissed. "Or do you get some sick pleasure tying people up?"

She cocked a brow. She honestly didn't know. All this time running around for a meal had left her little room to discover herself and her likes, including sexual likes. But seeing Jake in chains wasn't really what she wanted, especially when he wasn't a wiling participant, she concluded.

"I don't like having you chained up like this, it looks uncomfortable," she admitted. "But I didn't want you to run away."

Jake sighed. He needed to convince her to untie him. Even if he had to pretend that he would be her friend again.

_The things I do to survive, _he thought.

"I'm tired and incredibly sore," he said. "God knows how long you have had me down here. You need to let me go."

She bit her lip, it was a human tick that had been left over and his heart thumped a little heavier. He couldn't help but wonder if she tasted like decades ago. He closed his eyes trying not to think of her that way.

_She's a monster. A monster. A murderer. She doesn't deserve to live, exist. She needs to die._

"If I let you go…" her voice trembled, interrupting his thoughts. "Promise not to run."

He gave the creature an annoyed look. "Not like I can outrun you now."

She ran her fingers through her hair feeling frustrated, "You don't understand. If you run it will trigger the…predator. I…I'm still struggling with bloodlust. I actually lasted 4 decades without drinking humans but recently I had a run in with some hikers and they tried to run from me…I couldn't stop myself."

She looked away trying not to recall the faces.

_'Please,' _the last one had implored, before she sank her teeth in.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," she whimpered and covered her face.

Jake closed his eyes and sighed. Under that tough marble shield there was still a girl who felt regret and pain.

_Play along, _he told himself. _You will figure a way to kill her later._

"Remove my chains…Bells," he whispered, it felt good to say her name like that and he almost felt guilty that he was doing this to earn her trust.

He caught her smile. Surely, it had been years since someone called her Bells.

"Promise that you won't run," she repeated her warning with serious eyes.

"Oh for fuck sake," he groaned. "Fine. I promise."

"Such a grumpy old man," Bella answered trying to be funny again.

He gave her a warning look and she laughed.

She took a deep breath and decided to tease him as she walked towards him, slightly curving her hips as she walked.

He didn't fail to notice her hips swerve and he shut his eyes to avoid the site. But it did nothing for him to stifle a gasp when fe felt her hands on him. It was torture to feel how carefully she unwrapped him as though he were something delicate to handle. Every sweep of her hands that touched him made him shiver. He continually suppressed his throaty groans. Yet she was driving him mad with something as simple as a stroke from her fingertip.

_Oh God, _he groaned internally as images of them in bed under white sheets touching, kissing and making love. _How can I still want her?_

It actually made him feel disgusted with himself to have those thoughts. She wasn't even really alive he reminded himself.

"All done," she said.

"Finally," he sighed.

He started to feel oddly cold and realized his lack of shorts.

"Jeeesssus! Bella," he covered himself. "Couldn't you have at least put my shorts back on?"

She turned away, feeling the need to blush even if her skin wouldn't show it.

"You didn't have them on you," she tried not to grin.

"You could have at least done me the courtesy to put something on me before you wrapped me in chains," he hissed.

"Well," she answered playfully. "I guess, I didn't really think this through. You can say this was my first time."

He huffed. "And you vampires claim to be fast thinking."

She cocked her head to the side.

"You know, I am starting to think that I like you better tied up. More yelling mind you but less cheek to deal with."

He rolled his eyes and quickly moved up the stairs only to hear the familiar giggle that years ago he would do anything for.

This wasn't fair, he thought. It was as if he had entered an alternate universe to see a girl that wasn't the girl he had loved forever.

Entering his room, he pulled out some sweat pants and an old shirt from the reservation. He really did need to go shopping but clothing these days were not something he enjoyed to buy especially with all the new styles that never fit the way they should.

He opened his closet to grab a pair of tennis shoes when he found his old jacket in the corner. It had been left there for too long, he picked it up the soft leather was starting to crack from the cold in places. He never did need heat in this place and now that he was more human how he regretted not installing some form of heater system.

His hands held the jacket and it took him to a memory from 80s years ago.

_After Bella had left, Jake decided to take a break from everything. So like anyone with means and a broken heart, he traveled._

_Yet, everywhere from the waterfall of the Niagara Falls to the paintings in Europe reminded him of the girl who had denied him a chance to experience life with her._

_He tried to find other things to distract him, women to entertain him. He wasn't a bad looker and many women found him appealing. It was his animal magnetism he would joke to himself but it never quite filled the void. It all felt mechanical._

_One night after another night with a beautiful French woman, he thought that he would probably never find the girl he would imprint on. Destiny had planned for him to be alone._

_As he walked by a canal an old Gypsy woman who sat on the floor begged him for some money or anything he could give. She looked cold and shivering by the bridge. He took pity on her and removed his jacket and handed it to her._

_"You are too kind," she whispered._

_"Here is some money," he said, ignoring her statement and handing her a good chunk of change._

_She nodded and smiled and said._

_"You know, she will come back to you," she began. "One day the beautiful girl will come back to you, she is your soul mate after all."_

_He stood up suddenly because he was sure she was just talking out of her ass. So he walked away._

_"Don't believe me!" he heard her holler. "Nobody ever has, but I am telling you the truth. She is meant to come back to you. She will love you and you will return her soul to her. And her connection with you is stronger than any imprint that your kind believes in!" she finished._

_He turned around but by then she was gone._

_A few days later, he heard a knock on his hotel door and when he opened it, he found his jacket inside a bag with a note saying. "Thank you for your kindness. And don't lose hope, shape shifter."_

Jacob stuffed it back in the jacket and crouched on the floor and covered his head.

_I imagined it, _he told himself.

0-0-0

When he returned to the living room he could see no sign of Bella. Instead, he saw a note next to an arranged plate of food.

_Dear Jacob,_

_I cooked. Hope you still like pan fried steak. Please eat. If you don't like it I also made other things._

_I will be gone for a few hours. I need to feed and I know of a place a few miles away with an overgrown population of bears that need some downsizing. I hope when I return we can talk. You will be in my thoughts. You are always in my…_

He stopped reading and instead lodged the plate against the wall.

_Who the hell does she think she is? _he hissed. _She can't just come in and fuck with me like this._

His body felt hot feverish.

_She had no right to come back, _his mind screamed. His arms and legs convulsed the animal within was still very much alive.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What is happening with Sr. Jake?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**_A change in the wind_**

Jake tore off his shirt and pants.

The transformation felt like the first time but instead of an instant phase it was slow, full of agony. It reminded him of horror films such as American Werewolf in Paris or even cheesier like the classic transformation of Michael Jackson in the Thriller music video.

Jake scurried outside, his bare feet aching against the gravel.

The animal in him was ragging inside its cage and it wanted out. Whatever she had done to him was wearing off and as his bones began to break and shift. He screamed and screamed begging God for the pain to end.

His human hands started to form into paws and claws began to seep from his nails. He could hear and feel the tearing and cracking of muscle, nerves and bone. He wanted the pain to stop he would give anything to stop even death would be better. As his back stretched out he let out a gurgling scream and passed out…again.

0-0-0-0

Jake slowly opened his eyes. Unlike before, he was not in the basement but in bed, covered in sweat, feeling unimaginable heat course through him.

"Jacob?" he heard Bella whisper across the room before ghosting to him to touch his forehead. She was like ice but that is what he needed right now. "God, you're burning up."

Her breathing picked up and he knew she wanted to sob.

"What have I done? I never should have turned you mortal."

He didn't want her to feel this way, not anymore, he was tired of fighting for the day.

"We need to bring my temperature down," he told her.

"I'll get ice," she answered.

He shook his head.

"No," he swallowed. He couldn't believe he was about to ask this but he wasn't about to start being nice about it. "Your cold as ice, you will do."

Bella looked down and nodded.

"Yes," she whispered sadly. "Stone cold dead."

He ignored those last words because she was far from dead and he needed her help to bring this horrible fever down.

"You're not dead. Not like everyone else such as Charlie, Sam, my dad. They Are all gone but you are here. Now, please help me. Come lie with me," he beckoned.

She nodded again and removed her worn out shoes and socks. She took off her jeans that were muddied from the hunt and left on her old shirt to keep some modesty. She lifted the sheet and pressed her cold body next to him. After feeling like he had been roasting in an oven, he finally felt relief.

Bella meanwhile felt his immense heat and swore she was inside a fire pit but it didn't matter because he was wrapping his arms around her and for the first time in nearly a century she felt true peace. Soon the soft murmurs of her breathing filled his ears, he had fallen asleep.

"I wish, I wish I could be human for you," she whispered into empty space. "I wish I could be your Bella."

She closed her eyes tight and entered something very much like sleep.

0-0-0

The next morning Jake woke-up alone in bed but just as soon as he began to pull himself out of bed he found Bella sitting on a chair holding a tray of fruit, pancakes, eggs and bacon.

"Please eat," she said as she gently placed the tray on his lap.

He looked at her and frowned.

_Is she afraid of me?_ he thought.

"Would you like coffee?" she asked.

He simply nodded for he wasn't ready to talk quite yet.

She returned seconds later with coffee made with extra milk and some sugar. She still remembered everything about him and he couldn't fail to notice.

He took a bite of his food and almost died. He hadn't had these fluffy pancakes in years. He ate quickly and he swore he had almost caught her smiling which almost annoyed him but he was so hungry it didn't matter. He soon finished eating and she could tell he wanted more. She brought him a second plate of pancakes hot and buttery with extra syrup and he couldn't say no. He ate until he couldn't eat anymore.

"I guess I should clean-up," she said.

Before he even protested she zipped out of the room plates and all leaving him with his thoughts. He stood up and felt quite strong, better if anything. It must have been the food, he thought. But he knew it was more he was stronger.

Meanwhile, Bella quickly washed dishes and put everything away. If there was one thing she could do well was cook and she remembered everything she liked.

_A way to a man's heart is his stomach,_ she barely remembered her grandmother saying that to her once.

She sighed.

Who was she kidding, she thought. He would never want her. She closed her eyes that felt suddenly very warm she covered her face and felt something new, a droplet of water in the corner of her eye.

Bella swallowed.

_It must have been from washing dishes, _she thought.

She decided to busy herself and clean the living room, in minutes she had dusted and wiped down counters. It was then that she noticed Jake looking at her rather annoyed.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

He looked amazing, she thought. He was wearing boot-cut jeans, paired with a white t-shirt and his leather jacket that she had loved to be held in long ago.

"Bella, I asked you a question."

"I just like to keep busy," she answered honestly.

"I don't need a housemaid," he retorted. "I don't want you to touch anything."

She felt disappointment, sadness and a bit of anger.

"Well, I guess…" she was about to say that she was going to leave when he asked her something unexpected.

"How do you remember how to cook?" he asked. "I thought you leeches forgot most of your human memories."

It wasn't meant to come out that way after all he was thankful for everything she had done for him even though it was also her fault that he had been falling apart.

"Stop calling me a fucking leech," she said tossing a rag at him. "All I wanted to do was help out around here."

"Yeah, you have helped plenty," he said referring to his humanity. "Now answer my question."

He sat down and gestured for her to do the same.

"I have forgotten mostly everything," she said. "I can't remember my mother's face. High school is a blur. Charlie's voice is barely a whisper. But you…I remember everything including when I used to cook for you."

Jacob didn't know how to answer that so instead he prodded her with another question.

"What happened to the Cullens?"

She stood up.

"Maybe it's time for me to go," she said. She couldn't possibly tell him. How could she? It was the worst moment of her existence. She could still remember Rosalie's face coming to the realization that she had a heartbeat again, barely human, what she had always wanted and now she was dead, truly dead, Bella thought.

She felt another tear form in the corner of her eye. She touched her face it was a tear she couldn't deny it. And a panic surged within her chest, something was changing, she thought.

"I need to go," she said again as she walked to the bedroom to quickly put on her socks and shoes.

"Bella," Jacob began softly but he was never the one for patience. "What the fuck happened to them? Why won't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry for what I did to you," she said regarding turning him human but at the same time for everything else she had done. "I hope you can forgive me someday."

She opened the door and before he could approach her she sped off. She ran quickly until she sped off into the woods, condemning herself to eternity in solitude.

Up ahead she saw a familiar house with large open windows, it had been beautiful so many years ago but now it appeared like a haunted place.

Before she even stepped on the gravel of the driveway she felt and immense force push her into the nearby creek, she felt with a strong thud that felt violently painful. When she opened her eyes, all she could register was that for once in the past 90 years, she felt like death was possible.

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><p><strong>AN: Yeah Bella is taking what Jake is dishing out. Mostly because she wants to be around him that and because she feels bad about their past. **

**Now if you are liking the tell please REVIEW. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

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><p><strong>AN: Things are about to flip. ENJOY!<strong>

**As usual all characters belong to SM .**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Unexpected**

**_Last Time_**

**_Before she even stepped on the gravel of the driveway she felt and immense force push her into the nearby creek, she fell with a strong thud that felt violently painful. When she opened her eyes, all she could register was that for once in the past 90 years, she felt like death was possible._**

**0-0-0**

She hadn't felt this afraid since she had faced Laurent in the woods while she was still human, the idea of her existence fading into black was a full possibility as a pair of clawed fingers dug into her shoulder causing her to scream, it burned like venom would burn and smoke lines appeared from the claw marks on her white marble skin.

She looked up at her assailant whose eyes were those of a bright yellow wolf, except he was still (except for the eyes, teeth and claws) very much human. Whatever was happening to Jake she knew she was to blame. He appeared to be stuck in the middle of his transition. But sooner or later he would phase and if he did she could seriously have some competition.

Until that moment, it had never occurred to her that the effects of her gift could be reversed.

_Oh God, if I would have just had more control, _she thought. _They could have lived. They could have lived._

The growl was terribly close to her neck. A piece of her was afraid but if she would have to die she guessed it would be best if she died in the arms of an old friend.

She turned slowly, looking upon his face, thinking about a time when they were just sitting together by the beach nestling against each other for warmth over an open fire as he told her about his dreams of traveling the country with his bike and how he would take her along for the adventure. How she wished for that adventure of wrapping her arms around him as he drove down the highway. How she wanted now more than ever the feeling of the cold air against her face and the warmth of his body inside his leather jacket. She could see it so well in her mind, how they would laugh and smile as they saw all the landmarks from the biggest ball of yarn to the Statue of Liberty. Her heart seemed to break a bit more, when she considered what their nights together would have been like as they would camp out on the land just them together under the stars, eventually finding each other through kisses and caresses that spoke of silent vows of love. She hungered for that more than blood, she thought.

But none of it was meant for her, she reminded herself. All those dreams were just dreams, she continued thinking before looking into his eyes, thinking to herself how much she had loved him in his human life and how much she had taken him for granted.

"Do it," she whispered, feeling resigned.

Jake stopped growling instead his eyes registered sincere shock.

If it had been just a day before he would have had no second doubts to slash her throat and be done with it.

"Please, I deserve to die," she begged, seeing his reluctance. "Please, please, please…kill me."

She couldn't do this anymore. Couldn't be out there alone for eternity.

She closed her eyes and tears sprang through like a waterfall down her cheeks. Jake gasped. He pulled back. This was not expected. Vampires couldn't cry.

"I can't," he said, feeling confused.

Bella felt frustration form a knot in her throat. No, this had to be over, she couldn't do this anymore.

"Why not?" she screamed.

"Bella…I'm not going to end you. I just want answers and then you can leave this town and never turn back."

Exile. Didn't he know that that was worst than death?

She pushed him off her and stood up, no longer the pathetic creature she had been on that creek floor but instead something menacing and definitely not human. Her eyes were a bright angry red.

"Do you know how many people I have killed?" she asked. "I have killed thousands of people. Small towns have disappeared in just months. And the worse part was I couldn't care to stop because the state of blood made everything else not worth a second thought."

He shook his head as he watched the inkling of blood run down her arm. Did she realize what was happening to her, he asked himself. His heart began to pump rapidly in his chest.

_Can it be possible? _he asked himself. _Is she becoming mortal?_

"I can't," he finally answered.

She shook her head she was determined to convince him.

"Do you really want to know what happened to the Cullens?" she asked. She laughed and cried and laughed. "They were…my very first bites to eat."

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><p><strong>AN: Please be kind and review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Chapter 7<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 7 (Flashbackoutake)**

**A/N: This is flashback from Bella on what happened to the Cullens and her road to Jake it's a bit out of the way but important.**

**We will return to our regular programming in chapter 8.**

**Also please note all twilight characters belong to SM**

It had been a mistake to turn her. She realized that now but at the time when she first opened her newborn eyes nearly a century ago, all she could think about was the need for blood.

_She had opened her eyes to a room full of smiling vampires. Edward approached her to give her a hug but was cut off by an over enthusiastic pixie._

_"You're awake!" Alice had chimed as she unwisely hugged the newborn vampire._

_"Alice, be careful," Jasper warned. "She's not stable."_

_Alice rolled her eyes and turned to Jasper._

_"She won't hurt…" that's when it happened, Alice collapsed in Bella's arms and within seconds a heartbeat began to pump and it wasn't Bella's._

_Everyone in the room gasped. _

_"What the hell? Oh no," Jasper began. "Get away from her Bella."_

_But it was too late, the sweet mouthwatering taste that was Alice had already invaded the nostrils of Bella. _

_"No, Bella," Edward begged._

_It hadn't even been an option to stop. Bella bit down and everyone screamed. Jasper ran to his wife only to convulse himself and collapse. _

_One by one they fell, each of their hearts coming back to life after countless years of immortality. Bella only watched as she finished sucking the life out of her old friend. _

_After she dropped Alice to the floor, Bella felt pure ecstasy._

_"More," the monster within her bellowed._

_By that time, the rest of the family had scurried and Bella's insides felt thrilled for the chase._

_It all happened so fast, they couldn't run or hide but they tried and struggled against her begging her to stop only making the monster within her more exhilarated._

_In all the chaos, Edward seemed stupidly resigned to the fate as though he deserved his death._

'Stupid masochistic lion,' she thought.

_He had reached for her, moments before his death and touched her face and whispered that he forgave her. His blood was the sweetest of them all; he was her singer, so he didn't last long._

_The blood had been euphoric, better than drugs and sex. She couldn't remember anything but the taste and when it was over she only felt the need for more._

_The blood lust was more powerful than her will and it dominated every thought. There was nothing outside it, no Charlie, no old High School life, no mom basking in the warm Florida sun, just blood._

_It took her countless years to stop from massacring towns in the desolate state of Alaska. And any immortal that tried to cross her path (including the Denalis) would end up dead, drained like so many of their countless victims._

_Finally, when a sense of control emerged in Bella's mind she was so riddled with the weight of her guilt that she had tried giving herself up willingly to the Volturi, but there had been some defense mechanism installed in her, for when Aro tried to rip off her head he collapsed. She still could recall the moment he opened his eyes, they were red no more; instead they had turned a dark brown, plain as in his human life. It had been 'extraordinary,' as he had put it before she attacked him and ravaged his neck to the point that his head fell off. The fear on his face was an undying memory, for the strong were now the weak and because of this she knew she could never die at anyone's hand or her own._

_She was toxic leaving her with no choice but to avoid her kind for their sake and hers. It was the most horrible of curses, to be immortal and alone._

_It took her many years to finally feel that the monster was at ease. She had been on the vegetarian diet for nearly 40-years. It was then that she started to hope that she could be near humans again that perhaps she could see Jacob (if he was shifting around). The idea of it had filled her with so much joy she felt like Bella again. For in all her fuzzy memories she could remember Jake as clear as day; his laughter, his warmth, his smile was the only good that she felt inside of her now._

_So she started out slowly, getting near towns but never interacting just observing or passing by. When she felt ready she returned to Forks and when she found him, just as she remembered him, she felt so elated she jumped up and down like a little girl on Christmas morning. The feeling of joy was so sudden she giggled and cried for hours._

_She soon discovered that he lived alone in the woods. His pack had already grown old through the century giving up their shifting into wolves so they could live with their brides and family. A human life that brought old age and death while Jake still didn't look more than 25-years-old but she also noticed a roughness in her old friend's stare. It was mostly his eyes that betrayed him, for in them anyone could see how much he had seen and lost, there was a bitter old man in there._

_So many times she had wanted to approach him as an old friend stopping by for a surprise visit, but she recalled his threat, he would kill her the first moment he saw her. So she watched another few weeks, trying to keep her distance but she couldn't wait anymore she had to see him._

_That is when she decided she would meet with him, even if it took making him completely human. Even though she wasn't sure she could turn him._

_When he collapsed on that forest floor, she approached him with caution. She picked him up her nostrils invaded by his scent that surprisingly didn't cause her mouth to water. And for once she felt the possibility for a new life._

_'Thank you, God," she smiled as she picked him. "Thank you!"_

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><p><strong>AN: There u go. a bit of her past. what say you?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong>Chapter 8:<strong>**Revelations**

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><p><strong>AN: All Twilight characters belong to SM I am just providing an alternate reality.**

**_Last time:_**

_"Do you really want to know what happened to the Cullens?" she asked. She laughed and cried and laughed. "They were…my very first bites to eat."_

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><p>"What?" Jake phased back into human form and stepped away.<p>

She shook her head.

"You heard me! I killed them all, starting with Alice who never saw it coming. Then I sank my teeth into her husband who even though he knew he had no tactical way to fight me off, tried to.

"I can still remember how Rosalie, Emmett and Esme tried to escape me. But it was all for nothing, it only exhilarated me and when I ripped their throats out and drank them dry leaving me wanting more." She closed her eyes, her body shaking. Her voice trembled as she fought the beast inside her. She was suddenly hungry. She took a deep breath telling the monster to go back into the cage. "Then there was Carlisle, who actually went to find me. He begged me to find the will to stop but when he saw Esme on the floor he only held her tight against his chest, I had broken him before I killed him."

Bella broke into deep sobs. "I broke a man who only treated me like a daughter! He didn't deserve it and I killed him, oh God he didn't deserve to die but he tasted of sweet agony and I couldn't stop."

Jake couldn't believe what she was saying. All this time she had wanted so badly to become one of them. She desired their lifestyle from the moment they walked into her life and they accepted her with open arms only to find their end with her.

"What about him?" he asked.

She swallowed the memory. "He didn't fight me, he basically offered himself to me and I killed him. You would think I wouldn't but I did, and it didn't hurt at the time because he smelled better than any of them. He was my singer."

Jake shook his head, he couldn't believe it, she had wanted Edward to no end and she killed him.

"Wait…weren't you his singer?" he asked. "And he resisted you."

She nodded.

"I guess he loved me more," she said coldly, hating herself. "So you see, you were right. I made a stupid choice. And I have suffered hell because of it. I have been alone from the moment my heart stopped beating, so finish this as you said you would that night at the wedding. Kill me, please."

And she waited. But he didn't answer.

"KILL ME!" she screamed.

And when he wouldn't react she pushed him with all her strength and watched him fly off into the forest of trees. _Why doesn't he ever listen!_

As he felt the force of her push against him he felt nothing but sadness for her. All these years, she had been alone as he was but it was worse he at least still had his family and the tribe. She on the other hand had been in isolation and was now begging for death when she had never experienced life.

_This is not fair,_ he thought.

He landed into a ditch, the mud almost buried him but he pulled out in time before she came in for another attack.

She was quick, but he could move just as efficiently even in his human form. He knew she wasn't using everything she had. She was holding back, she just wanted to piss him off so he could lose his head so he would take off hers.

"I'm not going to kill you, Bella," he hollered as he escaped a flying boulder she had tossed.

Losing her patience she speed up to him and kneed him in the groin causing him to fall to the floor.

"Stop being such a pussy," she said before going for a different attack but she didn't get a chance when suddenly Jake was on top of her as a full on wolf. He struck her once on the head with his giant paw and something that never happened to vampires happened to her.

**She knocked out.**

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you enjoyed. Please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Chapter 9<strong>

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><p><strong>AN:**

**_Please note that this chapter takes place from Jake's point of view while Bella is sleeping. This shall take my readers who have read this into something new. I thought it was crucial to add that there is back story to this._****__**

**Also, just to clarify. Jake didn't fully phased into a wolf until the very end of the last chapter. He was a bit of a hybrid for a few minutes until Bella kneed him in the groin causing him to get thoroughly pissed off and if you recall it's never a good idea to make Jake angry.**

**I also got a question on what is happening to Bella with her gift and how is exactly that she is turning everyone else into humans. Well hopefully this helps answer that.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**While you were Sleeping**

He watched her sleep baffled by something that was impossible. But there she was covered in mud, sleeping on his bed with a shoulder that he barely was able to mend. As she snored quietly he began to think of everything she had said in that field.

_She killed the Cullens. Fuckin' irony she killed them all. I always thought he would end up killing her._

He would have thought he would be happy to hear that they were gone. After all if they had never existed there would have been nothing in the way of Bella and him, they would have lived a normal existence.

But all he felt was…well sadness. Carlisle though a bloodsucker had only kindness in his eyes just as his wife Esme. At the end, Bella literally destroyed a whole 'family.' And more.

_'Killed thousands,'_he recalled her saying. _'Whole towns disappeared over months.' 'Couldn't care to stop because of the bloodlust.'_

He knew it was her gift…no her curse to have this uniqueness. Could it be that perhaps everyone around her desired her to keep her humanity so much that in turn it became a part of her. Yet, this was not like the stories he had heard of other mystical vampires who could create pain or force fields this was something unique as though she were the balance between the world of vampires and humans, for what would be worse then a vampire to die as a human?

_To live what you had forced others to endure under your own sharp teeth?_

He walked to the living room and did something he rarely did, he turned on his television/computer device.

"Manny, on," he said.

"Hello Jake, how can I help you today?" asked the television in a sweet female British voice.

Jake groaned, he hated technology but now was not the time to bitch about it. He needed to find anything on vampire lore. In his own tribe there were just legends of the Cold ones but nothing like this.

"Legends on Vampires."

"I found 35,323,342 sites regarding vampires would you like to narrow your search?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Extreme blood lust."

"All right then," answered the computer. "I found 30,340,321 articles."

"Fuck," Jake groaned.

"There are 1,203,293,973,391 articles and several videos, I might add."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Go back. Look up legends and lore regarding blood lust in vampires. Look in archeological and anthropology articles."

He scrolled through a couple of articles which had nothing but the usual lore of the insane blood lust of the undead but nothing compared to Bella."

"Find mysterious blood disease deaths that wipe out villages and such steaming back in time related to vampires," he then said.

The machine updated its list and read the first entry for Jake even though Jake hadn't asked it to.

"In the late 422 A.D. in Rome there were sightings of several thousand deaths in nearby villages. These mysterious deaths where caused by blood drainage. It had been concluded to be animal attacks by a judiciary, however a clan of Roman priest called the _Excubiarum_ claimed it was a demon of unbounded blood lust that had manifested itself in those condemned. It is noted by the head official that the demon came out of true emptiness in the world; it was the embodiment of envy and loss manifesting itself in condemned humans in a period of decent or death in this case the demon had manifested in what the_Excubiarum_called a _frigus sanguinem_ (Cold blooded) being."

"How does it end?" Jake asked wanting to get to a solution.

"The _Frigus Sanguinem_was disposed of by another clan of priest called the Voltu…"

"Stop," Jake said. From what he heard those bloodsuckers had all but disappeared by the hands of a powerful creature. Now he wondered if Bella could be the cause.

He sat on his couch and ran his fingers through his jet-black hair.

It seemed that aside from the fact that Bella was a vampire she was also the vessel for some form of demon.

_So if I throw holy water on her I should expect her to go full exorcist on me,_he said dryly to himself.

"Does _Exubiarum_society still exist?" he asked just out of curiosity.

"Yes," the machine answered.

"Where?"

"There are several locations, primarily one in New York, New York and another in Rome, Italy."

"New search," he announced. "Give me any stories on Vampires turning human."

"There are two entries," the machine answered.

"Let me see the first one," he asked.

The first story was of fiction, something to do with Mr. Darcy breaking his curse.

"That was fiction do we have any legends?"

"The latter entry is legend," the machine answered.

"Pull it up," he said.

His final search had been fruitless there was no lore of vampires turning human just something to do with twin souls in some Latin script he couldn't even translate on Google translator.

All he could come up with was what Carlisle had said to him while mending his broken bones.

_"We exhibit our natural abilities more after turning,"_Carlisle said. _"For Edward it was his ability to read people that gave him insight into minds. For Esme her passionate want for love in life transferred into her very loving heart."_

_"And if you suck the life out of the girl I love," he said angrily before screaming out in agony again as Carlisle cracked another bone into place._

_"Well Bella is special," he said with a smile. "She tends to bring humanity in all of us even those who hide it within. I am sure it will be something she will carry over if she chooses that life."_

At the time he hadn't really paid attention but now he thought about it more closely to it. Could it be that Bella's gift was to literally bring back the humanity and mortality of those around her. He had felt it himself in the woods it had struck him deep within the recesses of his mind shocking him into a state of shock as to transform every born and muscle back into human, perhaps it was similar for vampires. But it was all just a theory.

He returned to the bedroom only to hear her snore lightly. But before he turned around to find some food in the kitchen she heard her voice between light snores.

"Jake, I'm so sorry," she whimpered. "Please don't leave Jake, just dance with me once more."

He knew she was delirious but he stayed a bit longer just to hear what she said.

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><p><strong>AN: SO we have some background on the possibilities of why Bella had such extreme blood lust. But they are just theories after all there is only so much one can discover through google. But it's a beginning.**

**I would like to thank everyone who has given their love to their story. Anyone else out there who has been reading and has yet to review...well here is your chance just drop a quick like even if it's just to say that you love it or hate it better than radio silence I say.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Chapter 10<strong>

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><p><strong>AN: This chapter has been re-written so it's slightly different but true to the main concept and going over the feelings and ideas of these characters. Let me know what you think.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Bella's eyes fluttered open on a Sunday in the afternoon. Coming into conciseness her brain began to run a million miles a minute as though a computer warming up before the big workday.

She recalled her confession, the guilt, her begging Jake to kill her but instead of death she received a humungous paw in the face…taking her into unconsciousness.

"Was I sleeping?" she whispered. She moved and felt a numbing ache in her shoulder that was bandaged up and slightly bloody. She groaned in pain and rubbed her aching limb. The soreness was so foreign and yet it made her feel alive. "What's happening to me?"

"That's what I would like to know," said a voice that came from across the room.

Her vision felt blurry and dull as though her HD quality vision had been replaced by analog TV.

She looked upon Jake's face he didn't look bloody or hurt but all the same she felt shame.

"I'm sorry," she began. "I shouldn't have-"

"Stop…" he interrupted her before he stood up. "I am tired of hearing that you're sorry. Now tell me, do you know what is happening to you?"

He had been waiting for her to wake-up barely afraid to leave her side wondering if she would ever wake-up.

"I don't really know what is happening to me," she confessed.

"Bella, when we were out on that field, I swore I saw real tears on your face and then your arm…it was bleeding and your barely healing now. What vampire does that?"

She shrugged and flinched. Her shoulder was really starting to hurt.

"I would offer you some meds but I've never needed any so there are none to offer," he said before changing the subject. " Look, you have been sleeping for 2-days now. I was starting to worry."

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the fact that she had in fact slept she asked an unexpected question.

"Did I snore?"

He wanted to laugh.

"No, but you talked," he answered as he walked closer to her and sat down on his bed.

"What did I say?" she asked feeling embarrassed.

He smiled briefly.

"Just babble," he lied.

In all honesty, she had been talking for hours about how she missed him. How she had wished they had travelled together like he had offered. How much she…loved him and regretted breaking his heart. For a good 30 minutes all she said was sorry.

"I couldn't make it out really," he finished as he pulled the tucked her hair behind her ear. "But I'm glad your back."

Bella sighed. He was glad to have her back, a vast difference from before.

"Why do you think this is happening to you?" he asked, softly. His voice was even sweeter now and she relished it. "Any theories?"

Bella's eyes shifted as though she was contemplating her answer.

"When you were sick," she began. She almost chickened out for a moment but she knew she had to be honest. "I thought to myself how much I wished to be human." _Your human,_she added in her thoughts. Her attention turn to the window and to the barren back yard that really was just a vacant space before endless forest. "Are you…are you back to yourself?" she asked timidly.

"And stronger than ever," he finished. "I really don't know how it came about. I thought I was human. Then it came all back and now you…you are…"

"Turning human?"

He didn't answer, instead he touched her cheek it still felt cool but not ice cold as before.

She closed her eyes and felt his rough skin against her cheek. He was so hot again, it almost burned but she welcomed the feeling. It felt so good to be touched again; to be touched by him, she ached to feel more.

He pulled away and she felt like her senses were muddled but she tried to come up with why things were happening.

"I'm guessing the effects of turning people human don't last more than 48 hours," she concluded.

"Perhaps," he said with fear thinking that some things just don't last.

She took another breath.

"I guess it means that if I could have just controlled myself more, the Cullens would still be alive."

She looked down, feeling shame course through her.

He on the other hand wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. No one could have predicated the outcome of her turning. She needed to know that.

"If I could have just been stronger," she repeated before a tear ran down her face.

He shook his head.

"Bella, you didn't mean to. And how would any of you know that your gift would be to turn vampires...human or to have unimaginable blood lust. If they would have known they would have taken different measures."

"I stole their immortality," she interrupted. "I stole their lives. I had stolen the only way you knew how to exist from you. I am so sorry."

"What did I say about apologizing? You need to move on. Forgive yourself. And don't worry about me. Being a shape shifter was part of my genetic make-up. I doubt you could have stolen that from me. I was born this way, vampires are made."

She nodded. He was right, it was time to forgive herself.

_Time to move on_.

"You're right," she said.

She moved and ached and a piece of her was afraid. Being mortal meant she could actually die and suddenly life became more fragile and precious.

She tried to get up.

"I don't know what can happen next."

"Don't worry about it," he said. "Let's just take this one step at a time."

She bit her lip. He was going to be there for her.

"You don't want me to go?"

He didn't know how to answer that so instead he said, "Come on Bells, I'm not going to kick you out when you need me."

She wanted to ask if they were okay. If they were going to be okay around each other but she didn't have the guts.

She looked down, she felt like a coward and as most cowards do, she found something to distract her from her thoughts. At that moment she noticed her body was caked with mud.

_How could he put me in his bed? I'm filthy,_she thought.

"I need to shower," she said changing the conversation. "And after I am done, we need to change these sheets."

"Let me help you," he offered.

"That's okay," she insisted. "I can manage."

"Let me know if you change your mind," he said before she walked away from him and locked the door behind her.

_I'm dreaming,_she thought. _This has to be a dream._

She moved forward to pull the curtain and hissed.

"Nope not dreaming, ouch, ouch," she hissed before she laughed and cried a bit because it felt good to feel this type of pain.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Any ideas with what is coming up next?**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Chapter 11<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter is going to set-up some very fun chapters ahead. So Enjoy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

**Conversations with the Self**

It was quite to Jake's advantage to have a good pair of ears. In some ways, his hearing served as a second pair of eyes; visualizing what was far-off in the distance or in this case, what was beyond closed doors.

At the moment, he could hear/see Bella showering. His ears could penetrate into the room vividly describing where every drop of water landed and glided down her skin. Providing an accurate description of the woman who was at this moment wet and dripping in his shower.

He couldn't lie to himself he hadn't been with a woman in the last decade. And the fact that it was _her_above all others in _HIS_ bathroom covered in soapy suds was like living a fantasy.

He could imagine it perfectly, the steam in the room, the curtain slowing opening, her sudden gasp in surprise as his dark arms wrapped around her pale torso, the sweet quivering of her lips as his own lips glided up and down her neck.

He swallowed as he thought about his hands reaching up to glide upon her soap covered breasts and the muscles in his groined twitched at the idea of tweaking her nipples with his fingers.

But his fantasy had suddenly stopped when he heard Bella turn off the shower.

_What the fuck are you doing? _He screamed at himself, internally. _How can you even entertain this idea?_

He looked down at his pants and could see the strain of the material on his pulsating sex. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself down and proceeded to quickly make the bed and walk out of the bedroom, because he knew if he even caught a glimpse of her bare skin he wouldn't be able to stop.

Out in the woods he stripped down and shifted into a wolf to do his version of walking-it-off by running as fast as he could until he reached a cliff and jumped into the deep cold ocean. For a while, he let the current take him and found himself sinking deep until his lungs burned and begged for air.

He finally pulled himself out into a secluded piece of beach and let himself rest on the rough sand hoping to distract himself from his moment of weakness but it was useless because all his thoughts were on _Bella._

After several minutes in the cold his mind began to race.

_She was so close, I want to touch her,_he thought. _She's back. And it makes me want to try so bad. It should be simple._

But it wasn't simple.

She had chosen another over him, even going as far as marrying that person.

While he had abandoned her on the dance floor, their hearts breaking at the sounds of music played by her wedding band.

They had spent so many years separated from each other becoming different 'people.' He had been a protector, she had been a murderer and in all accounts he should have killed her or at least asked her to leave. That was the simple reality, yet he couldn't bring himself to think that he could ask her to leave or kill her. Especially now that she could become human.

_She can't be by herself if she becomes human,_he thought. _It would be too much for her to be out in the world. Those woods would kill her in a day. I can't even imagine how she will react if she ever goes to a city. As soon as she'd step onto the grid of a big street the city will notice that she is unidentified. She doesn't even have a digital marker on her. She's basically undocumented._

He kind of laughed at that but tried to gear himself toward the possibility that if she were human he would have to get her papers and a new identity.

_New Identity…new life,_he thought with promise.

Then another truth sank into his thoughts, the idea that being human could be temporary.

_What if she changes back? And what if the blood lust is worse? What if she kills someone from the tribe?_he thought before running back into the woods.

Meanwhile, Bella was wondering of the whereabouts of Jake. Earlier, she had sworn she heard his heart rate pick-up, while she was showering. She even went as far as to turn off the shower to hear his breathing patterns but as soon as she did she heard a scurry of movement and a door opening and closing.

She figured he had stepped out to catch up on private affairs. After all, he probably had not left her side since the day on the field. Which left a big smile on her face.

_He still cares,_she thought dreamily before sighing. _Maybe, things can get better after all._

She walked to the kitchen feeling a bit light headed and hungry.

_Should I try to eat? No, I should hunt,_she told herself before she heard a loud knock on the door.

"Jake?" she heard a young woman's voice. "Jake, it's Sarah. I brought you another care basket… Jake are you there?" A few seconds past and Bella walked closer to the door just to take a peek but before she stepped any closer and changed her mind and stepped back.

_Maybe this is not a good idea,_she thought. _What if I can't control myself and I bite her. I'm hungry after all._

"Hey, I can hear you in there," Sarah said in a very unusually sweet voice. "Awe come on Jake I even made Great-Grandma's Emily muffins, I know how much you love them. Awe Jake, please, please, please, let me in and I promise I'll behave." She finished the last sentence with a slight giggle.

Bella raised a brow.

_Behave, huh? Well if you behave, I will,_she thought before she opened the door.

0-0-0

Meanwhile, Jake stopped by Sam Uley's grandson's shed. It's where he always kept a spare of clothing in case he needed it. As he changed he heard a knock on the shed door.

"One second," Jake said before putting on his pants and opening the door.

"Hi Mr. Black," said a young boy.

"Oh hey, Josie," Jake answered rubbing the kids head. "What ya doing outside?"

The boy smiled.

"I saw a big wolf outside and thought I would investigate," he said.

Jake laughed. The kid already knew his secret before coming of age, it was his fault really he hadn't been careful, fortunately for him the kid was pretty quiet but it didn't mean he wasn't a smarty-pants.

"Is your dad home?" Jake asked.

"Sure is," Josie answered.

"What about your mom and sisters," he asked. "Are they here?"

"Nope," he said. "Just dad and I. Why do you want to talk to him?"

The truth was Jake wanted access to the archives of the tribe which contained several legends stemming back for generations.

While doing research on _thee all-powerful overlord Google,_he had discovered a line regarding a cure for vampirism through the possession of a twin soul. In a way it had reminded him of a story his father had told him.

As a child his father Billy would tell him several stories. One was of a man who fell in love with a beautiful woman who died too young. However, the man was tenacious and he believed her to be his twin soul. So, after her death he took many pilgrimages until one day he came upon a mountain and become convinced that she was stuck inside the marble. The man with deep love carved into the mountain 'uncovering' his wife through the marble until he finally found her in the midst of the stone but Jake had forgotten what else came after that and wanted to see if by chance he could find the story in the tribe's archives which now belonged to the new Chief Dean Uley.

"Oh hello Jacob," Dean said. "Good to see you. What brings us this honor?"

Jake smiled Dean had always been very respectful of him.

"I needed to look at the archives," Jake said.

"Of course," he said. "I will grab the keys and we can go to the center. Oh by the way you haven't seen my daughter, Sarah have you?"

Jake furrowed his brow.

"No," he said. In fact, it had been a while since her last visit considering that they had a bit of a misunderstanding.

"Well, she left just a few minutes ago, said she was taking you one of those care baskets that you like so much."

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,_ his mind rambled.

"I have to go, I will have to see about those archives another time," he said.

"Is everything okay?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "I just feel bad that she went all that way to see me and I am not there. But no worries, I will send her right back to you."

And before Dean could say another word he ran into the woods in hope that Sarah was still alive.

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><p><strong>AN: Well let's hope Bella behaves.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: Chapter 12<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: All twilight characters belong to SM.**

**Did Bella behave? Let's find out.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

**Misunderstandings between Friends**

Bella opened the door to find Sarah quite distracted checking herself out on a digital compact mirror that was scanning her face.

"Make-up, perfect," Sarah sang before taking a sniff of her wrist. "Ah…he wont be able to resist me this time."

Bella raised a brow and decided to clear her throat to let the girl know she wasn't alone.

"Jake…" Sarah squealed happily before turning around only to find that it definitely was not Jake behind her.

Bella smiled lightly and raised a friendly hand. "Hi there."

"Hi," the young dark haired woman answered with a look of disappointment and judgment on her face. "I'm here for Jake. Is he here?"

Bella took in her own appearance and realized she didn't look _awesome._ After all she only found a dress shirt of Jake's to wear, everything else she basically swam in.

_I really do need to do some shopping,_she thought before laughing internally. _I wonder what malls look like these days. Would Jake go shopping for me? Wait that wouldn't be a good idea, it would be better if it was a girl._

She looked at Sarah and thought she was dressed quite fashionably as though she was ready for a Friday night out of town instead just delivering goodies like Red Riding hood to the wolf's house.

_But instead of a big bad wolf she finds a hungry vampire,_Bella thought. _I really should go hunting after this._

Bella returned her attentions back to the girl and admitted to herself that Sarah was quite beautiful, with shapely hips, round plumped breast, and a pair of captivating brown eyes that could probably turn any college boy into a loyal puppy, but the scowl on her face made her look unattractive at that moment and sadly reminded her of Rosalie.

_I will do better,_Bella thought. _I won't sink my teeth into this one. I won't sink my teeth into this one._

"Sorry for looking like this, Jake and I kind of got dirty yesterday and I had nothing to wear," Bella said honestly. "Hey we are about the same size do you have anything I could borrow from you?"

The girl didn't answer instead she gave Bella a disbelieving look.

Bella scratched the back of her neck feeling nervous in front of the judgmental human girl. "Anyway, I'm an old friend of Jake. Just visiting. He is not here right now, he stepped out but I can help you. I see you brought a care basket, do you want me to take that to the kitchen?"

The girl rolled her eyes and walked past her leaving a light flowery scent behind her.

"I know my way around his kitchen, so I don't need your help. Besides, I am sure Jake is going to be so happy when he sees me because he loves my chicken pot-" she stopped as she opened the fridge to find that there was more than the usual take-out containers.

"I love to cook," Bella answered. "Are you hungry? I can reheat something for you while you wait for Jacob."

"No thank you," she said.

"I can move some things around in the fridge to make room for your stuff," she said.

Sarah appeared to be quite annoyed at her offer.

"Again, no thanks, the basket is also a cooler," she said snidely. "So tell me how do you know Jake?"

Bella shrugged and thought about her answer, no need for Sarah to know all the facts.

"Just an old friend that he met along the way, here for a visit down memory lane. And who might you be?"

The girl stood a bit taller and swayed her hips as she walked around the kitchen island, as though she was considering what she would say.

"I'm a very close personal friend of his," she said simply, tossing her hair to side causing another wave of her flowery scent to hit Bella's nostrils.

"Well how…how nice," Bella smiled. One would have thought it was because the girl smelled mouth watering but that wasn't the case. Bella had just taken a good whiff of the girl and happily didn't feel the usual burning hunger. It was actually quite relieving to know that she could be around a human and not want to eat them.

_Oh my God, this is so great! I can't wait to tell Jake._

She had smiled so big that she hadn't realized that she looked slightly predatory to the young girl before her.

"Oh shit!" Sarah said, covering her mouth. "You're…you're a vampire."

Bella's eyes opened wide, which caused the girl to step back even farther as she noticed Bella's red eyes.

"JAKE!" Sarah gave a blood gurgling scream at the top of her lungs.

"Woe," Bella said looking really surprised.

Sarah stepped further back. "JAKE! Where is he? JAKE!"

"Calm down," Bella said soothingly trying to calm Sarah down with relaxing gestures. "I promise, I'm not going to bite," she said trying to lighten the mood.

That only made the girl more frantic and weirdly brave.

"You monster! What the hell have you done to my Jake?"

That wasn't a very good idea on the girl's part.

"YOUR JAKE, you say," Bella hissed her whole demeanor changing from happy go lucky host to green-eyed (well red-eyed) monster.

_How the hell can he be yours?_ she thought, seeing red. _You're just a kid._

"You killed him didn't you!" Sarah accused before grabbing a nearby frying pan and tossing it at Bella.

"I didn't kill him," Bella said as she ducked away from more flying pans. "LIAR!" the girl said tossing more pans.

_Honestly, the man never cooks why all the cookware,_she thought before a heavy pot actually hit her arm.

"Stop it," Bella warned. Her reflexes weren't as great but she still managed to have some speed.

"Jaaaaaaakkkkkkee!" Sarah screamed before she opened a drawer and started to throw knives at Bella.

"I said stop!" Bella roared finally losing her patience, ghosting towards the girl and taking hold of the girl's hands.

Sarah in turn gave out the most horrific shriek.

"Sarah!" Jake barged through the open door and pushed Bella away from her causing Bella to fall over the couch into the open living room. And the fall hurt, _like a bitch_.

"Oh Jake," Sarah threw herself in his arms as though she had been reunited to a long lost lover.

Meanwhile, Bella was pulling herself back up from the floor when she noticed how Sarah's arms latched onto Jake's neck.

_Oh my God! She is going to play the victim,_Bella thought.

"She. . . she scared me, she said she was going to eat me," the young girl whimpered.

Bella gasped.

"You fuckin' little-" Bella began.

"Did you, Bella?" Jake snapped.

The words stung coming out of his mouth it almost made her want to cry that he thought so little of her. Yet, it also served to piss her off for being wrongly accused.

"I didn't!" she said between gritted teeth that made her look slightly possessed. "She came in with food and was going to store it away but there was no room in the fridge because of what **I** had made **for you**. I even offered to reheat something for her and she just got defensive and started throwing pots, pans and if you haven't noticed knives! I was just trying to calm her down but she went nuts on me."

Jake shook his head. He didn't know what to believe. But what scared him the most was that Bella appeared as though she was still quite capable of killing this girl. So his first priority was to keep the human in the scenario safe.

"Sarah, go home," he said firmly.

Bella pressed her lips, desperately holding back the desire to say something cheeky like 'catch you later,' but she knew that wouldn't bode well not with _Mr. Human-protector_in the corner holding the _weak-bitchy human girl._

"But I can't just leave you," Sarah responded between tears as her mascara smeared her tanned cheeks. "She…she's a bloodsucker…a vampire…she can kill you. Please…please I don't want you to die."

_That little manipulating bitch,_Bella thought. _She is lucky I don't feel any blood lust or else I would suck her dry just to shut her up and the world might even thank me for it. UGH._

The little monster in her actually wanted to flip out of joy that Bella would even consider killing someone for sport but of course Bella's conscious had control now, which silently reprimanded her for having such thoughts.

She was trying to her best to be vegetarian after all.

"I will be fine," she heard Jake say with urgency in his voice. "Now go home and don't worry, she won't harm anyone."

"And why is that?" the girl said taking advantage of touching Jake's cheek with her finger tips.

"Because, I rather sink my teeth into a fury little creature instead of you, you little lying snake," Bella hissed.

"You're the venomous snake," she countered. "All you are is a murderous leech."

"Oh when I…" Bella began.

"Enough!" Jake shouted before turning to Sarah again. "Sarah. Listen. To. Me. You need to leave. Don't come back here until I say otherwise. Do you understand?"

"I…I can't," she said with love in her eyes which made Bella want to gag and strangle her.

"You will," he said firmly.

"But she will hurt you."

"She won't."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because she is a friend," he answered.

"But she's a vampire, shouldn't you kill her?" The girl said ignoring everything that had been said.

"She's technically protected under a treaty," Jake answered feeling very annoyed with the girl's insistence.

Sarah's eyes opened wide.

"Oh my Bob Saget, she's a Cullen!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I couldn't resist. I thought to myself well Bella come from our time would be very in tune with the OMG phrase but what about future generations would they tire of 'OMG' I thought why not and then Bob Saget came to mine.**

**Anyway, where do you guys think the story is going now. **

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Chapter 13<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Let the fight begin.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 13<p>

**TENSION**

Several minutes Jake convinced Sarah to leave but not without some last minute antics by young Ms. Uley.

"Promise me that you'll call me, everyday," Sarah begged Jacob in a small voice as she smoothed out his black polo shirt with her grabby hands. "Or else I will think something horrible has happened and have to come back here and I know how that will worry you."

_Really the girl has no shame,_Bella thought as she walked to the door and opened it nice and wide to signal to Sarah to _get the hell out._

"He will be fine," Bella assured her with slight irritation in her tone. "Thank you for the visit, now time to go back. I'm sure your parents are waiting for you to get ready for your bedtime, do homework and all that jazz."

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"God, you talk like an ancient. Anyway, don't worry, they know I'm with Jake and with him I'll always be safe. But I do have to go. Pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Cullen," she said with a big fat smile that Bella wanted to smack right off.

_If only she knew there was no more Mr. Cullen,_Bella thought sadly.

"Goodbye Jake," Sarah said before kissing his cheek and giving him a tight pressing hug.

"Bye," Jake said clearing his throat before escorting Sarah to the door and closing it behind her. He took a deep breath feeling the weight of her lifted off his shoulders.

All he had to deal with now was confronting Bella and that to him might actually be an easier conversation. At least he thought it would be.

Meanwhile, Bella was doing her best to control her emotions.

_I swear I want to strangle her and that has nothing to do with the monster within. Shit, even a human girl would want to give her neck a good squeeze._

"Care to explain to me what happened?" Jake asked.

A beat of silence passed between them.

_Please tell me we are not back to square one,_Bella thought.

"Nothing that wasn't under my control," she answered timidly before walking away from him. She really wasn't in the mood for this conversation. All she was in the mood for now was a snack and maybe some TV before taking a nap. The girl had pretty much taken out any hopes for this day to be a good one.

"TV on," she said.

"Please, Bella, don't mock me," Jake sighed. He turned to the television. "TV off."

Bella groaned. "I don't want to fight Jake. I'm tired." She turned from him and back to the TV. "TV on, play something British, such as Muse."

Before the TV could respond, Jake walked right in front of her and looked sincerely pissed.

"TV OFF!" he yelled.

And just to top it off he walked over to the Solar panel connection and disconnected the television's only power source.

"I'm being serious," he warned. "I came in and you were practically manhandling her."  
>"No I wasn't, I was simply trying to calm her down," Bella defended as she stood up and walked straight towards his bedroom.<p>

"Do you not think?" he asked seriously. "Have you ever considered that one wrong move from you could kill her? It doesn't even have to be on purpose. What the hell were you thinking? I expected more from you, Bella."

Bella stopped in her tracks, turned around and swiftly zoomed to him in the most towering angry fashion she could muster.

"Seriously Jake, what did you expect me to do when someone threw pans and worse knives at me? What would you've done?" she asked in her deep rhetorical voice.

"That's not the problem," he answered knowing Sarah all too well. She always did just about anything to get what she wanted and he knew it, but this was more. This was about his concern for her safety and the safety of his tribe. "Look she might be a spoiled brat but it doesn't change that she was afraid. She was shaking, scared out of her mind. Don't tell me you couldn't have done a better job about keeping your temper under control. Who knows how it could have ended if I hadn't come home early."

Bella gave him a disbelieving look. "So you're saying I didn't kiss her ass to your liking."

"I'm saying you're dangerous," he retorted.

She took a deep breath, which at this point she felt she needed because she might actually knock his head off, for as usual he wasn't listening.

"Let me be very clear Jake, because obviously that brain of yours has gotten clogged with earwax through the ages," she said. "I didn't do shit to her. All I did was offer her a meal and I tried to be nice."

Jake smiled humorlessly. It wasn't like he hadn't heard the old man jokes before. "Well if you would have been just a bit smarter you should have realized that opening the door wasn't the brightest idea."

"I wasn't going to open the door," she answered back her voice getting louder. "But she was pretty persistent. She kept saying, 'Come on Jake, I'll behave.' What the fuck is that supposed to mean, behave? Has she tried to get in your pants or something?"

"She meant nothing by it," he said trying to evade the question or the reason why Sarah would say such things.

"Bullshit!" Bella said angrily. "Seems like she is pretty convinced that she's a 'close personal friend' of yours and because of it she decided that it was okay to treat me like shit and what is worse is that you made it seem like she was in the right. I mean seriously after the way I was treated I think, I deserve an apology."

"She isn't going to give you an apology," he snorted.

Bella eyes grew wide as though she couldn't believe how dense he was. "I meant from you, you ass!"

Jake knew she had a point but he wasn't going to back down, he had a valid point too, in all this, the protection of his people.

"Stop changing the subject," Jacob almost yelled. "Either way Bella, you still shouldn't have opened the door."

"Maybe I shouldn't have and a piece of me regrets that I did, but another piece of me doesn't," she pointed out.

"And why is that?" he asked.

And there it was, the moment that she had earlier wanted with him and now it was ruined.

"Not like you care over how I feel, but I actually didn't have any desire to bite her," she confessed.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"YES!" She bellowed. "And do you know how great that felt? It felt like freedom. For once after nearly a century, a fuckin' long ass, lonely century, I didn't feel the desire to bite an actual human. I don't think you know what it means to not have to be afraid of the demon that lives inside you? That for once I actually have control. I ACTUALLY HAVE ME BACK!"

Tears threatened to burst from her eyes as her own revelation had fully hit her. She could be herself again.

So she took a deep breath and tried to calm down her nerves.

"But like I said, not like you care." And again, her old companion called solitude seeped painfully into her bones and Bella felt the overwhelming wave of sadness that made her even more prone to break down. "I'm going out."

She walked outside and put on her muddied old shoes.

"Where are you going?" he demanded to know.

"To hunt a really big bear," she answered quickly not trusting her own voice.

"You can't do that," he said marching behind her. "It might actually kill you."

"Good! Then you don't have to worry about me massacring the whole town since you hardly believe me now."

She made it towards the highway and crossed to the other side of the woods where she could venture out and reflect.

She wasn't as fast as before but that didn't matter, as she was still able to zoom quickly enough through the forest.

"Bella stop," she heard Jake's voice not too far. "For crying out loud at least put some pants on."

She ignored him and continued to walk in just his dress shirt.

Surprisingly, he could keep pace with her even in his human form.

_I'm getting slow,_ she thought as she continued to zip through patches of forest and meadows. _Or else he is getting faster._

"God damn it Bella, I said stop!" Jake shouted as he reached for her arm and pulled her towards him.

She squeaked in surprise and let out a gust of air as their chest collided.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have overreacted," he answered. His hand touched her cheek. "For what it's worth, I believe you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The next to come were quite fun to write. Please review.**

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Chapter 14<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope this chapter provides some good moments for you guys.**

**Thank you to EVERYONE who has reviewed. You wouldn't believe how much your feedback helps. Well I wont keep you too entertained here. Enjoy. I will see you at the end.**

**Ah and before I forget, ALL TWILIGHT CHARACTERS and Twilight related story line BELONG TO SM**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**Promises**

**_Last Time:_**

_"God damn it Bella, I said stop!" Jake shouted as he reached for her arm and pulled her towards him._

_She squeaked in surprise and let out a gust of air as their chest collided._

_"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have overreacted," he apologized. His hand touched her cheek causing their eyes to meet again. And with sincerity in his stare and voice he said: "For what it's worth, I believe you."_

_He believes me;_Bella's mind echoed as she looked upon his flustered face.

She tried to speak but felt a knot in her throat.

His callused thumb caressed her smooth cheek. She closed her eyes and let the feeling of his touch wash over her.

Inside her she felt relief, joy, gratefulness and at the same time remorse and worry.

"You believe me," she whispered and took another breath. "You actually said you believe me." _And you touched me._

"And I said that I am sorry, too," he added almost playfully.

She nodded and gave him a quick hug that caught him off guard. And he had to admit it felt amazing to have her in his arms. It felt heartwarming.

"I'm sorry, too," she whispered.

"Okay then," he smiled. "We're both sorry, good, now let's go back. It can get dangerous out here."

He offered his open palm signaling for her to give him his hand. Yet, she hesitated in taking it.

Jake felt a shift in Bella's mood. "Bella?"

Bella looked away from him and took in her surroundings.

She knew they were deep in the forest, several miles away from any other person but each other. And perhaps that was a good thing, she thought, _because now Jake wouldn't have to worry._

Her mind played out the events of the day. It was a mistake to let Sarah in. And sadly, Jake had a point. Sarah had been scared and in any other circumstances the girl would have already been drained and buried in an unmarked grave.

Bella shivered at the idea of another corpse in her arms. She fiddled with her hands contemplating the possibilities and it scared her. Even now with all these changes she was still a threat and it broke her heart.

"Jake…" she began. "I can understand why you reacted the way you did."

She pulled her hair back and avoided to look him in the eye as she spoke.

"I know being their protector is a big part of who you are," she continued. "And I should have understood that from the get-go, especially when you pushed me across the living room to 'save' Sarah from me."

She could feel that he was about to speak so she lifted her hand and without thinking her fingertips touched his lips causing her stomach to curl and flip, making every piece of her ache. She had missed just being touched but then again she knew that she couldn't be selfish, even though she greatly wanted to be.

"I promise, I wasn't trying to hurt her, even though you have to admit she pushed her luck with me and I know that is frightening to you, to think that I could kill someone from you tribe…or anyone for that matter. God, that just sounds awful, doesn't it?"

He didn't answer but she knew he agreed. The idea of Bella killing anyone from his tribe would have destroyed him. Even now, miles away from them, she felt the weight of his responsibility on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry if I was angry at you," she went on to explain. "I think I was angrier at the situation than you. It really hurt to see you shield her from me, and the way you looked at me with such disgust, it was a reminder of what I am. I'm a monster."

_A dangerous monster that should be far away from any living human,_she thought.

"So… I think you were right," she said and took a big breath. "I'm dangerous and I should…"

"You're not a monster," he interrupted softly, touching her lips with his fingertips.

She looked up and took in his face that lacked judgment and disgust. Instead there was something new in his stare, compassion and…affection.

"Yes, I am," she countered weakly as she removed his hand from her lips.

She took a big breath trying to suppress the whimpers, but her breath shook giving her away. And for the first time in a very long time Jake felt the need to defend _his Bella_.

"Monsters don't cry," he pointed out grabbing her hand and rubbing it gently. "They don't feel remorse, while you do. They're not warm and don't feel or smell like you."

Her stomach flipped again causing Bella to almost lose her balance but she was trying to be strong, she needed to be strong, she told herself.

"That doesn't change what I've done," she answered remembering all the lives she had drained into her burning throat. "Besides, you had a point when you said I was dangerous. Even just a subtle movement and I could kill someone by accident. And I don't want to kill anymore. I need to leave here."

She rushed away from him, feeling the need to face some type of punishment for her sins.

But Jake had no desire to chase her through the forest again, so he moved quickly and pinned her against a tree.

"Stop," he demanded. "Why do you always do this to me?"

Bella felt a strong shock rise up her spine as she felt his chest press against hers, pinning her into place.

"What do you mean?" she asked honestly.

"You make me chase you, all the time," he answered, as his arms grew tighter around her fearing her escape.

"You tend to do some pushing, you know," she answered quietly, feeling that now familiar buzz of electricity under her skin.

"I won't, if you won't run from me," he answered.

Before she could speak again, he pressed his forehead against hers, truly feeling his will to fight against his feelings for her go out into the clouds and away from them.

"I've missed you, so much," he confessed. "Everyday, I've missed everything, your voice, your smile, the sound of you laughing."

"I've missed you, too," she confessed. "But it would be selfish to stay."

"Don't talk like that," he pleaded. He couldn't let her leave. He wouldn't survive it again, he knew that now.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered again. "Sorry for ruining everything we had and could have had. God, I thought about it so many times…"

"Shhh what did I say about saying sorry," he reminded her.

"Jake…" she began again.

But he didn't want to hear it.

"You can't go," he said before kissing her forehead, gently and desperately. "Don't you care what it would do to me if you left?"

He continued kissing her, first her nose then her chin. He leaned down again and kissed her cheeks close to the base of her ears.

"Aren't you tired of fighting this," he continued as he kissed lower, so close to her collarbone that she actually quivered. "Aren't you tired of not just being alone but being without us?" His lips caressed the tips of her ears causing her mouth to open a bit wider and when he pressed his lips to the very corner of her mouth she couldn't hold it in anymore

"I don't want to leave," she whimpered feeling her body pulsate violently with each touch. "All I want is you. I need you, so much. Please Jake."

The sound of her pleading did something the animal within him and he groaned ever so deeply.

His lips ghosted across her cheeks and neck taking in her scent and feel, and it made him want more.

The animal within him wanted to rip off her shirt and claim her as his, while the man wanted to be sure.

"Bella," he said with such ache in his voice. All he had ever wanted was her in his arms, and it was driving him into delirium.

"I'm here," she moaned.

"Promise to stay," he asked.

A small warm feeling curled up inside her, for a moment she saw the boy that had rescued her so many times while growing up.

Every moment, they shared passed through her filling her with true joy and love.

She moved forward carefully and let her lips ghost against his cheeks and chin, causing him to shiver.

"I promise, I will never leave you, unless you ask me to," she said.

Before she could say more, she felt Jake's lips crash against her own causing everything inside her to flutter into something more like life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: (takes a big breath) So what do you think? I have to say, I probably, read and re-read and re-wrote this chapter more times than other chapter before it. And I hope for your guy's sake it was worth it. Please tell me what you think...if you have not reviewed before here is your chance.**

**Please know, I might not post til probably Sunday...which is not too bad. I just need some more time with the next chapter that will also require for me to read and re-read, especially since I am beta-less.**

**Well thank you for leaving me your thoughts.**

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Chapter 15<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Well...anyway this chapter was a hard one to put out there but it will be a nice part of the turning point of this story that will go over the next two chapters.**

**Ah and before I forget, ALL TWILIGHT CHARACTERS and Twilight related story line BELONGS TO SM**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15<p>

**Meanwhile**

**_Las time:_**

_"Bella," he said with such ache in his voice. All he had ever wanted was her in his arms, and it was driving him into delirium._

_"I'm here," she moaned. _

_"Promise to stay," he asked._

_A small warm feeling curled up inside her, for a moment she saw the boy that had rescued her so many times while growing up._

_Every moment, they shared passed through her filling her with true joy and love._

_She moved forward carefully and let her lips ghost against his cheeks and chin, causing him to shiver._

_"I promise, I will never leave you, unless you ask me to," she said._

_Before she could say more, she felt Jake's lips crash against her own causing everything inside her to flutter into something more like life._

* * *

><p>To kiss was to commit sin and receive redemption in return.<p>

It was surreal to be back in his arms amongst the land that she had spent so many decades dreaming of.

Her arms reached around his neck and she pulled him towards her as she leaned up on her tippy toes causing Jake to smile against her lips as he lifted her closer to him with his arms. She was so small compared to him and yet so perfect. They both laughed their lips quickly embracing one another again and again.

Before this moment, time had felt frozen and unmoving and suddenly now it was alive and rushing through them.

Her senses pulsed; her skin felt electrified. Causing her mouth to open giving him an unintended invitation for more.

"Oooh," she quivered.

His tongue slipped lightly into her mouth, causing her to press tighter against him, as though she couldn't get close enough.

Jakes was facing his own dilemma. The wolf inside him begged him to stop. It was as what he was doing was something unnatural, surrendering itself to a creature that was barely human.

However, his heart denied every negative thought against her. She was warm in his arms, soft and sweet, she was not stone cold or dead. She was alive it said, _alive!_

His heart throbbed, her lips were sweeter than warm milk and vanilla.

Any memory of their one and only kiss from nearly a century ago, couldn't compare. Before she had surrendered to him, needed to kiss him, it had been a victory for her to yield to her heart and a later a grand defeat as she had left him for another. But now, now she was willing and craving for him. It made him feel fulfilled and wanted.

He was almost floored when she looked up at him through her long dark lashes that made his knees week. She blinked slowly, with a dreamy look in her eyes and a lopsided smile.

But Jake went from weak knees to disbelieving eyes.

"Jake, are you okay?" she asked.

"You're eyes," he began.

She touched her cheek and looked away.

"Are they pitch black?" she asked, knowing that feeling aroused could cause such a thing.

He shook his head.

"They're…they're hazel."

0-0-0-0

**Meanwhile at La Push**

"You said she's a Cullen," Dean Uley countered. "I've told you that they are not a threat to us, not really. There's nothing I can do."

"Daaaadd," Sarah whined. "She might be a Cullen but she shouldn't be here."

Dean leaned back in his comfortable chair and took a swig of his beer. He had had about enough and just wanted to return to watch the game.

"DAD! Are you listening to me?"

Dean groaned. His daughter was going to be the death of him.

"You said it yourself, Jake said she's a friend of his. If he saw her as a threat he would have already killed her. And he has a point, she's protected under the treaty…now I know you are worried because you have a bit of a thing for him. . ."

Sarah huffed.

"I do not," she hissed. "Besides, she's married. It's not like she would be any competition. But still! She has no right to be here. What if the tribe starts to phase again. UGH! I would totally hate if I would have to cut my hair."

Dean lifted a brow at his daughter. If she only knew how much he had wished the gene would have been activated in him.

Growing up, he had loved hearing stories from his grandfather regarding turning into such a strong powerful creature that had full reign of the forest. It was a gift not a curse in his eyes.

"I'm sure she won't stay long," he pointed out. "Besides, like you said she is married."

"DAD YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!" Sarah screamed.

Dean gave her a warning stare.

"I have been listening to you for the past hour," he said more fiercely as he stood tall and intimidating. "And frankly what I'm hearing is you making a fit like a spoiled five-year-old princess that has nothing better to do than throw herself a pity party. Now, I don't like it that any vampire is in town but if Jake vouches for her than there is not much I can do."

Sarah looked like she was about to explode and he really didn't want to see one of her teenage breakdowns.

_God, why didn't Isa and I just raise dogs instead of kids,_he thought.

"Just go to your room and I don't want to hear anything more about this or there will be consequences and I mean no more access to your digital Visa Card consequences."

Sarah stomped her foot and started to walk away from him when suddenly she remembered a very important fact.

"There is one crucial fact I almost forgot to tell you," she said.

"Sarah, I warned you," he began.

"She ain't no golden eyed girl," she answered quickly before she ran into her room.

0-0-0-0

**Back with Jake and Bella**

_"Jake, what's wrong?" she asked._

_"You're eyes," he began._

_She touched her cheek and looked away._

_"Are they pitch black?" she asked, knowing that feeling aroused could cause such a thing._

_He shook his head._

_"They're Hazel."_

"What?" she asked before speeding back towards the direction of his house before almost slamming into a tree or two.

_My vision is only getting shittier. I need to slow down a bit,_ she thought as she slowed down.

Her trail back home was swift as she ran back into the bathroom to take a good look at herself and there staring back at her was a very hazel-eyed Bella that looked a lot like the girl she used to know but not quite the same.

"Holy shit," she said. "Hazel eyes."

Minutes passed as Bella inspected herself.

For all intensive purposes Bella looked, felt and smelled like a human but something was still very much a vampire, her dead heart.

She touched her chest as she stared at herself in the mirror. No pulse, just an empty organ with no life. How she was warm or was graced with hazel eyes, baffled her.

_What if it's an illusion that you fallen into,_a little voice warned. _What if you can't turn back? It's just your gift messing with you. What fuckin' cruelty that would be._

She felt the venom pull in her mouth and before she knew it she keeled over to the toilet and hurled venom and then…blood; dark red blood that looked almost brown.

"Shit," she groaned before her stomach expelled more venom and blood until it filled the toliet. She was surprised that she could hold so much as another bucket of blood came out of her.

She heard Jake knock on the door.

"Bella, are you all right?" she heard Jake outside the bathroom door.

"Don't come in here," she said mortified before throwing up again.

The toilet almost reached its top when finally it seemed there was nothing left for her to dispose of.

She leaned back against the tub and pressed her hands to her face. She felt drained. Staring down into her hands, she looked pale and yellow and before Jake demanded for her to open the door, she felt her eyes roll into her head and passed out.

0-0-0

A deep shot of mortification ran through Jake's spine as he opened the door only to find Bella splayed out onto the floor and a toilet filled to the rim with black brown blood.

"Bella…holy fuck…Bella, answer me," he said as picked her up and took her to his bed.

Unlike before, she now felt cold and motionless like a dead woman prepared for her coffin. He swallowed deeply trying to push those thoughts aside.

_It's just another phase of her transformation,_ he told himself. _She'll wake up again. She'll wake up. Please wake-up, Bella. Please, please, please don't go again._

The minutes passed into hours and the sun set and rose but nothing, Bella was motionless and Jake couldn't help but wonder if perhaps whatever was happening to Bella had no clean conclusion, perhaps it was not humanity that was the conclusion but death.

_It's not fair,_he thought. _After all this time, this can't be happening not when we have finally…_

He didn't finish his thoughts instead he sat on the bed and took her hand in his and pressed it against his beating chest.

"Come back to me, Bella," he whispered. "Don't leave me when we just found each other again."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well...it seems she is literally expelling everything that makes her vampire. . . but she's still not quite human. . . we're getting there.**

**And what do you think Dean Uley will do? Can't wait for the next chapter to find out.**

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

**Not What you Expected**

Jake left a motionless Bella covered in blankets on his bed. His mind had gone crazy with theories none of them ending with a good conclusion.

It was only until he actually considered buying a heat lamp for her that he realized he was going off the deep-end and needed a break from her bedside.

He buried his grief telling himself she would wake-up any second, he just needed to let her rest.

In the meantime, he would focus on menial task, like making himself breakfast, cleaning the house and working on his bike that had been rotting in his garage for the past decade.

_Yes,_things would _get better_, he told himself. He just needed to focus on anything else besides her.

0-0-0-0

The sun moved higher in the sky and Jake still hadn't dared to go inside his room.

For all he knew she was in the same state, lifeless like a wax doll inside a museum.

As he retightened a few bolts on his bike he heard a quiet rumble of an engine cut-off.

_Dean,_Jake recognized.

"Jake…" Dean hollered.

Jake wiped his hands clean on an old red rag and tossed it in a dark green bin. He really wasn't in the mood for guest, not when things were going to the shits.

"I'm in the shed," Jake shouted.

He could see Dean's shadow approach but suddenly the shadow stood very still.

"Are you alone?" Dean asked in a cautious voice.

Those words indicated what Jake feared. Dean knew.

He walked out to greet his uninvited guest.

"What can I do for you, Chief?" Jake asked in a dry tone.

Dean took a deep breath.

"Let's cut to it, shall we," Dean answered plainly. "My daughter says you have a vampire staying here, a Cullen."

Jake leaned back against his garage and folded his arms.

"She may or may not be a Cullen but most importantly she's an old friend," Jake answered.

Dean took off his burgundy Mets' cap and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair before putting the cap back on. Jake knew he was nervous but he had to admire his guts for coming out there.

"Sarah insinuated that she doesn't keep to an animal diet," he answered.

Jake frowned.

"That's not the case," Jake answered. _Not anymore._

Dean groaned, _always an uphill battle with everyone._

"Well, I have to see for myself."

He could see Jake's hesitation.

"Trust me this is not what I would prefer to do on my day off but for the sake of the tribe I have to do my part. You would do the same if you were in my shoes. So, I insist, I need to met it…her."

Jake sighed. Dean had a valid point, he would do the same, and without question probably done everything necessary to dispose of a possible threat.

He gestured Dean towards the house.

"Before we go in, I need to tell you that…" Jake was about to explain that Bella was bedridden but the sound of Bella's humming and the smell of food cooking caught him off guard.

Jake gasped. She was awake and looking very much alive.

His eyes followed her across the room. She was humming some old rock tune that he hadn't heard since she had last sang it to him one afternoon as they were driving into town to get some parts for their bikes so many years ago.

Bella continued to hum unaware of anyone watching.

Jake swallowed back his emotions and grasped tightly to the wall leaving a tiny indentation.

It took everything in him to not run towards her, pick her up, twirl her around, kiss her senseless and thank God aloud for her well-being. It physically hurt inside his chest and gut watching her move so gracefully. She was beautiful but for all he knew it was just his imagination. He wanted…_no…_he _needed_…to hear her speak. To know this wasn't in his head.

"Bella?"

Bella stopped turned to look at him and gave him a big sheepish smile.

"Hey," she grinned, a smile he had never seen on her face, a smile that he knew was just meant for him. "I hope you don't mind but I woke up and was starving and I had this craving for pasta so I said 'what the hell' and came over to the kitchen and I tossed the lasagna in the oven. I'm also doing some veggies just to be healthy," she chuckled, before taking a bite of a sandwich that she had made for the meantime. "Ah this bread is soooo good." She said with a full mouth.

Jake actually broke into a laugh. It was just too funny to watch her like this.

"Do you want a sandwich?" she asked.

Dean had been hearing their exchange and walked slowly towards the kitchen/living room area.

"Oh, you have a guest," Bella said looking a bit startled. She tugged at Jake's dress shirt, trying to cover her bare legs, her cheeks blushing a crimson red.

Dean found himself like a moth to the flame. She was beautiful in a wild and yet innocent way.

The room was silent and Bella didn't want to be rude so she walked towards the human and shook his hand before Dean even had a chance to pull away. "Ummm Hi, I'm Bella. Nice to meet you."

Dean's eyes grew wide.

_She's warm and her eyes!_

"I'm Dean Uley," he mumbled.

Bella nodded.

_Uley, he must be a descendent of Sam._

"Would you like something to eat?" she gestured towards kitchen. "The lasagna should be out in a few minutes. But I also have a pot roast I can heat up."

Dean turned to Jake and turned back to Bella. The young girl's eyes were not gold or red, but a light hazel, he thought.

"You're human," he whispered so softly that only Jake could hear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," Bella said before her mouth fell slightly opened at her own admission. She was surprised that she hadn't heard him. In fact, if she thought about it, when she woke up, she felt as though the weight of the air was heavier and the world was slightly more peaceful sounding. She could no longer hear the rustle of the leaves, birds in the trees or far off trickles of water going down the hills. The world was quiet and at peace.

"Ummm nothing," Dean said before turning to Jake. "It was a pleasure meeting you but I have to get back to the reservation." He walked past Jake and whispered, "Can we speak outside?"

Jake nodded and turned to Bella.

"Serve me a big piece, will you Bella," he said.

She snorted.

"Sure thing," she answered.

Outside by Dean's car, Dean looked baffled.

"It can't be her," he whispered to himself. "But she looks like the pictures from the tribe album. She's the same girl but she doesn't look like anything that has ever been described to me as a vampire."

Jake watched as Dean was trying to put the puzzle together.

"She's not a vampire," Jake said. "You saw it yourself."

Dean shook his head.

"Jake," he began. "I don't know what to say. My daughter is a bit of a spoiled brat but I know she wasn't lying to me about Bella. She said that you yourself admitted to her that Bella was a vampire. But now, I see her and her hand is warm, she's eating food and her eyes are not gold or red. Can you explain to me what's going on?"

Jake glanced at Bella through the window. She looked at ease in the kitchen.

"Honestly, we don't really know," he answered.

"At least try," Dean begged. "I think I can ask you to try."

Jake rubbed the back of his neck.

"She was a vampire," he admitted. "And her gift was to turn other vampires human. But it seems her gift has now turned on her."

Dean took deep breaths, he had known about the stories and the legends but now it was all feeling too real for his taste.

"This is all too much," he admitted. "How is it possible for her to go from human to vampire to human?"

"I can't say," Jake confessed.

"Is that why you wanted access to the archives, yesterday?" he asked.

He nodded.

"What are you looking for?"

"The Lovers in the mountain tale," he answered.

Dean took a deep breath.

"But Jake, it's just a legend," Dean said.

"Well being descendents of wolves is also a legend, as are the stories of the Cold Ones," Jake retorted. "Besides, I'm just working off any theory I can get."

Dean shook his head.

_The most broken heart anybody would ever feel,_he recalled his grandfather saying.

"Well give me a heads up when you want to stop by," Dean said before jumping into his electric steam car. "I really do have to get back, but before I go can you tell me…do you think she is a threat?"

Jake shook his head.

"What do you think?" Jake asked.

"For the moment…quite the opposite," he answered before driving away.

0-0-0-0

Back inside Bella took a deep breath. She was a bit disappointed that after eating an apple, a sandwich, some chips and 2 scoops of ice cream that she was feeling quite full.

_Fuck and I really wanted a bite of that lasagna._

It had been scary to wake up with such a powerful hunger but when her stomach rumbled she knew it wasn't blood she craved.

The timer ringed and Bella opened the oven door that creaked in protest. She touched the pan and cursed. _It actually hurt!_

She looked around for some mitts and found some kitchen towels to help her take out the lasagna dish.

Jake walked in as she had finished serving him a plate.

"Jake I…" but she didn't get a chance to finish before he swooped her up in his arms and held her tightly against him.

"You're awake," he said with relief in his voice.

A smiled appeared on Bella's face as she squeezed him back the burn on her fingertips almost forgotten.

"I am," she smiled. "Jake…I think I'm human."

He smiled again but then frowned.

"What?" her smile began to fade.

He took her hand and put it on her chest and her smile faded away.

_No Heartbeat._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What say you?**

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**So the next three chapters are really 1 chapter but I broke it down because they were running kind of long. Now as being what this story is all about...this is an emotional roller coaster of a ride.**

**Also all Twilight characters belong from SM**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

**For the love of . . . (Part I)**

**Last Time**

_"You're awake," he said with relief in his voice._

_A smiled appeared on Bella's face as she squeezed him back the burn on her fingertips almost forgotten._

_"I am," she smiled. "Jake…I think…I think I'm human."_

_He smiled again but then frowned._

_"What?" her smile began to fade._

_He took her hand and put it on her chest and her smile faded away._

_No Heartbeat._

**0-0-0**

Her bare feet slightly lost her footing as she stepped away from Jake and his sympathetic stare. Her hand was still pressed against her chest, it felt hollow.

_No heartbeat_.

_No heartbeat_.

_No heartbeat._

She stepped outside before he had a chance to protest.

It was another gloomy day. How she wished there would be some sun, at least then she could see if the sun still made her skin sparkle. But then again how could she been sure of anything?

_I was a fool to think it was going to be like this,_she told herself. _Why did I even bother hoping?_

"I'll never be enough," she whispered.

At the time she didn't realize that Jake was standing at the door, hearing her words. He didn't quite understand what she meant, but what he did know was that he needed to find a way to help her focus. He couldn't just let her wallow.

"Want to do some research about it?" he offered.

She shook her head.

"What's the point?" she said in a raspy voice before noticing a pile of dying shrubs in his garden.

She opened the gate and stepped onto the moist soil, letting it curl between her toes. It was surprisingly warm under her feet and she kneeled onto her knees and nestled more soil around these shrubs.

"Of course there's a point," she heard him whisper.

She looked around and saw some plants still in pots.

"Can you give me that?" she pointed at the plants.

"Bella, we'll find a way," he said, before walking into his poor excuse of a garden and handing her the potted plant.

She shook her head.

"Never enough," she said to the plants.

Jake almost couldn't stand it. He wanted to shake her, make her angry do something but there was nothing there. She had appeared to give up.

"Bella," he whispered softly into her ear, as he rubbed her back.

He felt her stiffen next to him but he continued to rub her back until her body relaxed.

"Let's just focus on what you have, okay? For all intent and purposes, you're human. Don't give up. Not now, not when your so close," he begged.

She turned to him, catching site of his big brown eyes, beautiful as he was.

She bit her lip, he could see her chest rise and fall and for a second it was so overwhelming and alluring that his fingertips itched. He wanted to touch those lips.

"What are we supposed to do?" she asked, he face so solemn that it reminded him of the days she had been broken, abandoned, waiting for someone to save her.

"Let's not think right now. Let's just do something to take our minds of things."

Bella eyes traveled down his chest and his arms, how she ached to be in his arms.

"Like what?" she asked.

Jake swallowed and tried to think.

"I have an idea," he said suddenly with relief in his voice. "I have something that I've been working on. I wouldn't mind your help."

"What?" she asked.

"Come on," he encouraged her feeling a bit more relieved that he had a project that would distract them both. He took her hand and helped her up. "Come with me."

He led her to the shack where he had been earlier, trying to forget everything except mindless work.

"Hope you still remember how to be my number two," he said.

"Huh?" she asked.

"I've got a pair of bikes in there that need some love and elbow grease," he said.

She looked a bit disappointed.

"Not what I had in mind," she said honestly.

"It can be fun," he said.

"Sure it can," she smiled softly. "Like old times."

He removed the blanket from a pair of bikes that looked ready to go to the junkyard and she laughed. Indeed it was like old times.

"How often do you do this?" she asked.

"A couple times a year," he answered.

She looked around and noticed another bike in the corner, it had been the bike he had been working on earlier but that was all, no other bikes in site.

"What do you do with them?"

"I sell them," he answered. "I make good money doing it too. Some guys even tend to call me up from time to time to fix their bikes, it's how I have been able to make a good living as well as occasionally travel."

"Travel?" Her eyes shined with amusement. "You've actually traveled. Please tell me what you've seen."

He spent the next few hours going over his trips across the country, Latin America and Europe.

"You've been around," she teased one afternoon as they were finally putting together the final pieces.

"Yeah, I guess I have." _But they don't mean much when you are alone._

"I can't believe that you actually braved going into the catacombs in France. Haven't you ever heard the stories of how people get lost in there? Plus, I would just get claustrophobic."

He pointed to his nose. "Yeah, well they don't have my sense of smell, it provides a great sense of direction."

They smiled.

"You know France, really wasn't my favorite place, nor any other part of Europe. I think I was more into places like China. I think you would have loved China…" he continued. "The mountains over there are surreal, the people are very accommodating and there are so many things to see. I didn't get to do half of the things I wanted but what I did get to do was amazing. I remember just walking around the small villages and wishing I could settle down on a plot. You would have loved all the scenery, the food was delicious, oh man their duck is the best things ever. And the festivals, the colors were intense, the reds and oranges were beautiful. It was like a totally different world and the way they think is in some ways so different and others so similar to our own. Oh and another place you would love, New Orleans…I really want to take you there someday, best city in the country." He smiled, he was excited.

Her giggle interrupted his daydreaming. He turned and watched her eyes dancing with amusement.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

She smiled. "Nothing. I just like how you describe it all. I would love to see what you have seen," she said as she passed him a different wrench. "I've mostly seen just woods and more woods and the occasional desolate town. God, and I had had so many dreams of traveling when I was…younger."

He tightened a bolt on the bike.

_I want to show her what she's been missing out on,_ he thought as he stared at his old bike._Baby steps._

"I'm going to the store tomorrow," he told her. "Would you like to come with me?"

Bella brightened up but then looked down at her tattered clothing and shook her head. "I don't have clothes to go out but I can give you a list I put together," she offered. She ran to the house before he had a chance to answer and returned with a small list.

"I just need a few things," she admitted. "Like a toothbrush, hair brush…it's all there. And if you don't mind maybe some pants and a shirt."

Jake pressed his lips and nodded. He looked down to the small piece of paper, it was such a modest list.

"I'll try to get you a change of clothing and then we can go to Port Angeles but we would need to keep you off areas that have a digital grid. In the meantime, I have to find you a chip that we can use?"

"A chip?" she frowned. "Don't tell me we all have trackers and are being tracked by the government."

"It's more like a digital ID," he pointed to a spot in his arm. "But you wouldn't believe the trouble it has caused. Come on let's have that lasagna. I'm starving."

Jake spent the next 30 minutes during lunch, explaining the grid that was used throughout big cities and how chips were used by advertisers and the police force alike.

"Big Brother goes digital," she said.

"Yeah, every couple of years, I have to get a new chip. But don't worry I have good contacts so once we have that I can take you anywhere."

"Anywhere?" Bella teased.

Jake smiled.

"Wherever you like."

Bella actually squealed, giggled and jump up into Jakes arms. They laughed and smiled and for a moment she thought he would kiss her but nothing. Instead, he touched her and caressed her but made no effort to kiss her except for her forehead.

_Kiss me,_her eyes begged.

Jake groaned lightly and shivered as though he was trying to shake something off as he placed her carefully back on her bare feet.

"I need to go out on patrol," he said. "It's been a while since I have done a full sweep and I can't get lazy about it."

It wasn't a complete lie. He hadn't made a complete run in quite a while. Bella had thrown off his whole schedule and life.

In truth, all he wanted was to stay behind and be with her but he needed to stay levelheaded and not get distracted. And he knew damn well that if he started something with Bella he would probably stay in doors for months.

He didn't want to wait anymore to find out how to help her. He had decided that tonight was the night to grab the keys from Dean, so he could search the archives. A piece of him told him he should tell Bella but he didn't want to give her false hope.

Bella looked a bit put out. She couldn't just go with him now, not in her 'human-like' state. She knew already that she was powerless; she couldn't run faster than a speeding bullet, or take a bullet at this point for that matter. As Jake had said before, she was for all intensive purposes _human._ She pouted.

Jake seemed to find her pout amusing and laughed.

"Awe…come on Bella no pouting allowed. Besides, I'm not leaving right now. And I'll be back before the sun rises."

She decided she wouldn't make it easy on him and looked up at him with her big eyes.

"So you're actually going to leave me by myself again?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes knowing what she was trying to do.

"If anything happens, you can use the Manny to call me," he said.

"Manny?" she asked.

The Television turned on.

"Yes? What can I do for you, today?" The television answered in a Siri like voice.

Bella couldn't help but snort.

"Not too creative on names there."

"It's the brand's name Bella."

Her mouth opened into a big O as she saw the brand name at the bottom of the screen.

He laughed and they sat down to watch some TV, followed by planting a few things in his yard. But night came all too soon.

"See you tomorrow," he said before kissing her cheek and walking out the door.

"Bye," she whispered quietly after he left.

After a long shower, she sat down and the television offered some options for TV viewing. She decided to watch some 'Oldies,' like Battlestar Gallatica, she never did get a chance to watch Season 2 and onward.

_Ah Edward Olmos, how I missed your kick as performances,_she thought.

After quite a marathon of episodes she felt her eyes grow droopy, when suddenly the TV (Manny) announced an incoming phone call from Jake.

"Answer," Bella smiled groggily. "Hey Jake."

But he didn't respond all she could hear was some rustling.

Bella laughed.

"We're in the 22nd century and we still have to protect ourselves from Butt dialing," she chuckled.

She heard was about to hang up when she heard a woman's voice that made Bella's blood drain from her cheeks.

"Ooooh Jaaaaakkkeeee," she heard.

Bella stood up slowly from the couch as she stepped closer to the TV.

"Yes…yes…right there…Oh God…oh God," the woman's voice rang out. "More! Give me more. Oh…ooooh…oooohhh…yes…ah ah ah ah."

Bella knew that voice. Then she heard a deep groan.

The rustling of sound continued, followed with more ridiculous amounts of moaning and Bella couldn't take it anymore.

"Manny turn off."

The television turned off and Bella felt hot tears flow down her face.

_That's why he wouldn't touch me,_she concluded. _He lied. He's involved with her._

"No, it has to be something else," she said aloud. "Maybe he went to her house for I don't know what for…and he dropped his phone that is a possible answer. She's fucking with me that is what it is."

She rubbed her cheeks trying to get rid of the tears but she couldn't stop them.

_Then why did he tell you that he was going patrolling? He lied to you, Bella. He lied and went to her house and is fucking her while you are here playing house. How could you be so blind? You saw her. You saw how latched on she was to him. She said they were more than friends and he never said otherwise._

The pain to know that he was with another cut through her like a raggid knife. And a piece of her couldn't help to feel the irony that in way she had done something similar to Jake so long ago by going to another man.

But that didn't matter anymore she told herself. They were here in the present and he had made silent promises to her in the woods. And even though he hadn't kissed her since, all those intimate touches that he had given her had meant something.

_Our time out there together must have meant something. But why would he lie to me?_

And then after a while she grew mad and began to hit the pillows with all her might and when she couldn't really inflict damage she screamed and screamed until finally she felt a deep growl form in her throat. The growl grew until it turned into a roar. And before she knew anything else she jumped off the couch and tossed it across the room. The loud crash of glass, wood and fiber grumbled through the house.

Bella's eyes grew wide open.

"Oh Manny," she said to the poor broken television. "I'm so sorry…"

**A/N: Ok...so before your hurl the kitchen sink at me know that you will get to see Jake's POV in the next chapter. If I receive a good amount of reviews you will see it by Sunday evening! Many thanks.**

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

_For the love of…(Part II)_

**Several hours earlier**

Even though Sam had been dead for years, Jake still could seem him and the boys on the old Uley property.

So many memories seeped in every corner, from sitting on the porch with Sam drinking beers, barbecuing around the fire pit with the boys and building a tree house for his kids, that man had quite a few. It was a different time and life that now only lived inside Jake's head.

_Even when they were a pain in the ass to have in my head_, I still miss them, he said to himself.

He made it on the porch and knocked on the door. Hopefully, Dean would be willing to give up the keys to the archives. He would do research all night if he had too and he felt good about it.

He dared to hope for a normal life and it gave him this feeling of peace.

"Hello Jacob," Sarah smiled. "Fancy seeing you in these parts."

Jake lifted a brow, she had been on the porch this whole time and he hadn't even noticed her.

"Sorry, I didn't see you," he confessed.

"How odd. You were never the type not to notice," she said looking up through her eyelashes.

He ignored her response and waited for someone to open the door.

"They're out, it's date night," Sarah said.

"Your brother?"

"Sleepover," she answered simply with a big catty grin. "It's just little old me, here. So, what can I do for ya?"

"Nothing," he answered, stepping back from the door. "I'll call tomorrow. Bye."

"I can find the keys to the archives for you," she offered.

Jake furrowed his brow.

"I overheard mom and dad talk about it. They forget how paper thin the walls can be around here. Anyway, you want to search the archives and I can help. Come inside…"

A little voice in his head said _don't do it_…_walk away and come back another day_. But he wanted to get over this over with.

"Okay," he said.

She led him to the living room and had him sit down. He waited anxiously for a couple of minutes before he grew impatient.

"Any luck?" he hollered.

"We'll see," he heard Sarah's voice come from behind him.

Jake's eyes grew big and stepped back.

Before him was a very naked Sarah. Her skin was the color of cinnamon and her breasts were round and plump, covered by long tresses of black hair. Any young man would have died out of sheer joy at such an offering.

"What are you doing?" he asked taken a back.

She bit her lip ever so slightly and stepped forward.

"Taking charge," she said with some confidence.

"What?" he asked.

"Awe, come on Jake…all this time and you still can't figure it out that I want you? I mean, there has to be a reason why I come to visit you as often as I do."

"Sarah, I'm as old as your great granddad. Why would I ever consider that you would think such things when I don't?"

"You sure don't look old," she countered her hands slowly moving up and down her body. "Come on Jake…you and I we're good together."

He shook his head and stepped away from her.

"Go put some clothes on." He gestured for her to go upstairs.

"Come with me," she said in a raspy voice. "And I'll go upstairs."

"Damn it Sarah, get some fucken' clothes on, now!"

She looked down.

"You don't like how I look?" she bit her lip again.

"For God sakes!" he growled. He felt like such a _fuckin' idiot._ He should have paid attention to his gut.

"Am I that horrendous?" she asked before covering her face with her small hands.

He was already aiming for the door when she broke out into tears.

He groaned.

"I just wanted you to love me," she said. "I've wanted you for so long and now that I thought that I was getting old enough that we could be together everything is slipping from my grasp."

Jake hung his head. He didn't want to leave her with some insecurity complex.

"Sarah, it's not like that. You're a very pretty girl but…"

"You're picking her over me. After everything she did to you. I know we never talked about her but don't tell me you had a great time with her before she left. For Bob Sagat's sake, Jake she's not even alive. She's a vampire. A bloodsucker, a murderer, everything you are sworn to fight against."

"She's…"

"She is…don't lie to me! I saw it with my own eyes, big red murderous eyes. And even though dad says that is not the case anymore, she is what she is and will never be what you need. I'm human she is not. I'm warm. She's ice cold. And you want to get logistical, she's married. I'm not. You knew her for a handful of years, while I knew you my whole life. I know what your favorite food is. You know what makes me happy and cry. Why can't you go after someone who can actually be with you? Who doesn't see you as second best? " She took a deep breath and her lip trembled. "Who actually loves you?"

Jake took a deep breath. Clearly, he had heard a similar argument before, from himself and now like Bella he would have to put her hopes down but unlike the girl at the wedding that broke him, he would try to bring Sarah to her senses with a sweet goodbye.

"You and I can't ever be," he said simply. "Don't you understand that there is a lot of baggage to what I am? Don't you remember the scars on your great grandmother's face? It's dangerous to be around someone like me. Why do you think I don't live in La Push? It's safer to be away from me."

It had been something he never wanted to openly admit, but being the last of his kind in the tribe had made him an outsider. He could protect them but never again truly be a part of the group. It was his penance for being the semi-immortal/supernatural creature that he was.

"That doesn't matter," she said through her tears. "I love you. I've always loved you."

He closed his eyes and took another deep breath. He could see her desperation and knew he had to go before she took a desperate measure.

"I see you as a baby girl, who's all grown up," he said. "I'm so sorry if I gave you another impression."

He turned around to leave, but before he could move she leapt towards him and wrapped her arms around him.

"How can you still love her?" she cried.

"It has always been her since we used to make mud pies together as kids. Please understand that. She knows me in ways that know one else knows me. She's the love of my life."

She broke out into another series of sobs and he finally began to pull away.

"I need to go," he said.

"Can I least have a kiss?" she asked.

He didn't answer.

"The keys are on the table," she whispered.

He nodded and kissed her forehead. It was a soft tender kiss a father would bestow on a child and it broke Sarah's heart.

She watched him leave and pressed her hands to her chest.

Heartbreak was physically painful.

Sarah sniffled and dried her tears. Her whole attempt had been useless. She walked up stairs to change, no need for her parents to find her like this.

In her bedroom, she wept cursing the day Bella Swan had returned to Forks.

After crying for her loss she grew angry.

"It's all her fault," she cried. "He was supposed to be mine! Mine!"

She punched her pillow, listened to angry music and cried and cried before she fell asleep.

Hours later, in the wee hours of the morning she walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Her eyes were swollen. Jake had cut into her and taken her hopes her dreams. Everything she had imagined for them, he had simply thrown away and for what? A vampire. She walked to the living room, her parents hadn't made it back and so she was still alone.

_Maybe, some TV will calm my nerves,_ she told herself.

She took a deep breath and sat on the couch when she felt something poke her. She turned and noticed a thin metal phone. It was Jake's phone.

"He must have dropped it when he was waiting for me," she sniffled, when suddenly an idea came to mind.

"Would Bella ever forgive you, Jake if she knew you were with me?"

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><p><strong>AN: So we got a little bit more insight into what happened. What do you guys think?**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

_For the love of… (Part III)_

Hours earlier, Jake walked into the basement of La Push center.

Walking into the preservation room, he remembered a time when his father introduced him to the room.

_"The past can offer insight on many of the problems of the present,_his father had said that morning. _But also note that there's no point to dwell too long in the past. For it can keep you from tackling the present," his father said._

A sad smile graced his face. His dad always had a way to communicate on tough subjects.

Jake focused on his search scanning through the oldest of stories but he had not very much luck.

He spent several hours looking, until he took a breath and sat towards the back of the room feeling a bit disappointed that he couldn't find the story that his father and so many other tribes people knew by heart.

_It such a damn common story, a part of our oral history,_ he thought. _A man is deeply in love with a woman and even after her death he follows her until he finds her in a mountain._

He pressed his head against the cold wall only to notice a small box on the bottom shelf on his right.

_Black family_ the box stated.

Jake opened the box and knew right away it belonged to his father.

He searched through its contents finding pictures and drawings of the family that still needed to be organized. The old man never was very organized.

He searched and found a notebook titled, 'My son,' and knew he had probably written about him.

_I will take that with me,_he thought. _Just to see what he said about me._

As he reached the bottom of the pile he found a thin leather notebook. It was probably older than the mid 1800s and it begged to be opened.

He opened the book and saw the names 'Alma and Toomey,' by Caiman Black, scribbled on the page.

He turned the page and it looked like a small journal entry.

_Dedicated to my mother and father: whom I barely remember but know they are together in the mountain._

**_June 11, 1854_**

_For many years Chief Anthias Black wondered if his son Toomey would ever imprint. The young man had already passéd many years, living amongst the tribe without a wife. In his concern, he consulted the elders and none could offer help. He had about given up hope, until his mother approached him._

_"Your son is half of a being," she stated. "He will find the other piece soon at the beginning of next spring and their bond will go deeper than any imprint, that even death will not separate them."_

_And sure enough, on the coldest day of spring, a clan of American soldiers came and with them a young woman with hazel eyes, her name was Alma._

_In the eyes of the soldiers, Alma was but a slave but to Toomey the chief's son, she was his other-half._

_Convinced the girl was a part of him, he beckoned his father to help the girl, to trade and bargain for her life. The chief remembering his mother's words agreed and preceded to offer the soldiers help on their task to navigate the land to find anything of worth. The Soldiers took his offer and the chief provided several guides. Unfortunately, the Soldiers were not satisfied with their findings through the land and decided to keep the girl. This in turn caused a great fight that ended in the lost lives of the American men who would never see their land again._

_But winning Alma over after the fight was not easy. She was tired of a possession she ached for freedom and on several occasions tried to escape. But Toomey was patient and would quietly follow her, keeping an eye on her from afar until finally on her own terms she returned to the village, realizing her best chance for survival was to stay nearby the people who didn't treat her poorly or saw her as a possession._

_She was still considered a difficult person. Stubborn. She was a restless soul, the Chief noticed. But Toomey loved that about her, loved her passion over the smallest of things. He offered her friendship and eventually with time she discovered a deep bond that brought her peace._

_At first, they may have not spoken each other's words but they understood each other well through gestures and smiles. And with time, they grew together, learning about each other, learning each other's words and solidifying the bond that was their union through a son._

_Life was happiness, the tribe elders said._

_However, it was not meant to last. One night the woods grew quiet and the tribe felt the imminent arrival of a death._

_Years, before there had been many deaths in the tribe due to a mated pair and now the tribe was once again to face another challenge._

_The creatures attacked swiftly, and the tribe was up in arms with four Cold Ones that were red-eyed and full of thirst._

_Toomey being the son of the tribe's chief led several strikes and quickly killed two Cold Ones by tearing their heads._

_Most of the villagers were accustomed to seeing men turn into wolves but Alma never witnessing such a site ran into the woods where one of the creatures grabbed her and bit into her arm._

_Toomey hearing the screams of Alma ran to her and attacked the creature. He returned into his human state to pick up his love only to find that she was screaming. She begged him to kill her for she was 'burning' and on 'fire.'_

_For three days she screamed and no healer could help ease the pain of the fever._

_Finally, after the third day she opened her eyes but she was cold, with red-eyes, a Cold One. But unlike the others, she resisted the need to feed._

_She begged Toomey for him to kill her, but he refused. The other tribesman saw her as a threat and decided to kill her but before they even had a chance, they had convulsed and fallen to the ground, she had taken their abilities from them and they couldn't shape-shift for many days after._

_Realizing that she was a danger to the tribe she begged Toomey for forgiveness before fleeing into the woods, away from anyone she could hurt._

_Toomey was advised not to follow her and for a time he obeyed being reminded that she was no longer a creature of the living._

_But for many days the memory of the woman he loved haunted him. He claimed to feel empty without her. So one day, before the dawn he began his search deep into the woods._

_There were stories from those of his pack claiming that his search reached as far north as the land of our ancestors. He had made it to the place where the land was covered in thick blankets of white snow, reflecting against light blue skies._

_Wherever she went he followed, but her speed was too much for him. He would miss her by just minutes one of his fellow pack members once said and at times they swore they could see through his eyes, glimpses of her running into the woods until one day she neared him and knocked him out with a large tree._

_When Toomey awoke he felt heartbroken and unwanted. So he made his trip back home to return to his son. _

_It was until he came upon a mountain deep within the forest of our land that hope rose again. As he passed by the old mountain, he could smell her but she seemed to have been buried deep inside._

_In his desperation he began to carve at the rock and stone of the tall mountain until he found her deep in it's crevices, unmovable as the dead. When he touched her skin she was cold, with no beating heart but her eyes were no longer red, they were golden brown._

_'You found me,' she whispered so softly for only his ears to hear. 'Why do you continue to find me?'_

_'I'll always find you because you are my Alma," he told her before pulling her out of the stone and embracing her. 'Be with me again.'_

_"But I'm a cold one," she had argued. "I'm no longer alive."_

_"Our bond will always surpass death," he said._

_Before the sunset they reunited through cold stone and hot flesh. The union of their halves created a chasm that engulfed their very spirit. They were one force, one life. And in the end, Toomey seemed happier than ever but after that they were never seen or heard of again._

Jake leaned against the back wall of the room.

_My God, Alma had the same gift as Bella,_he thought. _Could it be possible?_

He covered his mouth with his palm.

_'They reunited through cold stone and hot flesh,'_his mind echoed the words from the book. _They were never heard of again. The halves formed a chasm. 'One force. One life.'_

He placed the notebook in his pocket.

_But what does it mean?_ He thought. _Besides, Bella isn't stone anymore, she's nearly flesh and even then is she my Alma? Are we other halves? Is that why I never imprinted? And even then, what will happen to me if we do give over to this? If this is real?_

He took a deep breath and wished for his father to be there.

_He actually would know what to say,_he thought.

He then snorted and pulled out the other book.

_Perhaps, I should take a gander at you._

Which he did and what he found made gave him hope.

He yawned.

_I need to get back to Bella,_he thought before a smile crept into his place.

_Going home to Bella,_ he grinned, realizing how much he missed her.

He dusted of his pants and walked out of the room, the sun would rise any minute and he couldn't wait to go home and embrace Bella in his arms.

0-0-0-0

Meanwhile, Bella tried to retrieve the couch and return it to its proper place. But her adrenaline rush had all but disappeared and there was no moving it.

She sat on the floor feeling a wave of worry consume her. All these questions circled in her head. The biggest one of all being: _Why did he lie to me? Why did he go to her?_

Another growl immersed in her throat. The monster inside her was ragging to come out.

Her thoughts tortured her imagining Jake holding and kissing another woman. She felt her body shake.

_How could he lie to me! Just wait 'til I get my hands on him!_

That's when she heard the door open.

"Bella?" she heard.

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><p><strong>AN: NEXT CHAPTER THE GREAT CONFRONTATION! TAN TAN TANNNNNN**

**CHEERS!**

**MSCAROL**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Part IV is a bit shorter . . . but I still found it fun to write. Hope you enjoy.**

**Also all Twilight characters and material relating to twilight belong to SM**

**_For the Love of_**** _…(Part IV)_**

**Minutes before**

Jake sprinted through the forest, his paws breaking into the wet soil as the sound of the trees and birds meshed into white noise. Excitement coursed through him as he gazed at the familiar outline of his home.

_Almost there,_he grinned as he shifted back into his human form.

He opened his sack and searched for his clothes. He still hadn't noticed his cell missing, he never really was the type to carry it these days but since Bella was home he had taken it along for the ride.

He took out his keys and opened the door full of hope when he felt something off.

"Bella?" he said before stepping into the long hallway that led to the living room.

Someone growled.

Jake entered a defensive pose.

"Whose there?" he hissed.

No answer.

Panic struck him.

_What if something happened to her while I was gone?_

"Bella? Bella where are you?" he hollered.

No answer.

Being a man of no patience, he marched right into the living room only to be shocked. His couch was toppled over his entertainment center and his very expensive television was knocked out dead. He didn't know if he should be livid or shit scared.

His eyes pondered through the dimly lit room, only to see a shadow in the corner.

He tilted his head and took a whiff. The scent was familiar.

"Bella," he said in a calm but weary tone. "What happened?"

Bella stepped forward, her hair wild, her eyes angry.

"Where were you?" she tried to say calmly but her voice shook.

He frowned.

_Why is she asking me that?_He wondered as piece of him screamed that he was about to enter a whole heap of trouble.

He was about to open his mouth.

"Don't lie to me…" her voice sounded desperate. She cleared her throat and composed herself. "Please."

In her mind she was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps, it had been many years since she had been alone but she would have liked to believe that she could trust someone, especially Jake.

"I haven't even said anything," he said his tone changing and shifting from concern to defensive. "And even then Bella when have I EVER LIED TO YOU? When it came to those bloodsuckers and me who ever came to you with the truth about things?"

She chuckled darkly.

"Don't try to use that line on me. I know you weren't on patrol."

His shoulders sank a bit. He knew he should have told her the truth from the beginning but he hadn't wanted to give her false hope not after everything that had happened. He couldn't bear watch her be filled with possibilities only to have them torn away from her in the end.

"I went to do research," he said simply. "The tribe has an extensive archive and I wanted to see if I could find something anything that could help you."

"Well, how considerate of you. Is that all?" she asked with warning in her stare.

"Yeah," he said trying to spare her the odd conversation about what happened with Sarah.

"So last night you were at the archives trying to find something to help me?"

"Yes."

She took a big breath, he was not going to fess up and it pissed her off. But she would play along to see where it would lead.

"And it didn't occur to you that maybe I could have helped? That maybe you should have included me…especially when it involved ME?" she said trying not to lose her temper.

"Look, I'll admit it was a mistake to tell you that I was going out on patrol. But I just wanted to protect you. You were falling apart yesterday. And needed some time to relax. So, I decided not to stress you out and went to do the research by myself….at the time it made sense."

"Oh I bet you were doing lots of research," she said under her breath.

Jake lifted a brow. _Did she forget so easily_ that he could hear her little mumbles.

"What the hell are you talking about, Bella?"

She didn't answered instead she asked another question.

"Where's your phone…Jake?"

He lifted a brow wondering why she would ask that question. He reached in his pocket but when his hand went into it he felt a gaping hole in his pants.

"Crap, there's a whole in my pocket. It must have fallen out of my pants."

"That's not all that fell out of your pants," she groaned quietly.

Now, Jake was getting annoyed.

"I have no clue where you're going at. But get to the point or are we going to pussy foot around this all day," he said.

She shook her head looking amused, angry and disappointed.

"Oh the sexual euphemisms that come out of that mouth of yours," she countered before she swallowed and realized that he was not going to tell her the whole truth. Her face then change and she looked genuinely hurt. "You must think me a real idiot."

She turned away from him and walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of milk, that used to help calm her down before, maybe it would work now. But there was no milk to be found.

_Not even a freaking glass of milk!_Her thoughts rang.

She slammed the fridge and the poor thing shook.

"Hey! I don't think your stupid and don't break that, they don't make fridges like that anymore," he scowled. He looked back to the living room and looked at his TV. "Can you explain to me how you did that?"

She poured herself a glass of water and instead asked another question.

"How's Sarah?" she asked before taking a sip, her eyes expressed a calm look, a calm that appears before the storm.

Her words produced a mean shock in Jake's skin and his cheeks felt awfully numb.

"What?" he asked, needing to hear the question one more time, fearing that perhaps she knew more than she led on. And then it hit him; his phone was missing, Bella was upset. His eyes grew wide in understanding.

Bella observed it keenly and judged it as guilt. The glass broke in her hand. The rage re-awakened the monster inside her; a green-eyed monster of distrust and anger.

Jake turned to the couch and realized it must have been Bella who had done so much damage.

Before he had a chance to explain, he felt Bella move swiftly against him.

She successfully pinned him against the floor. She growled again, her eyes a deep black. She stared him straight on and said:

"How the fuck is Sarah? How's fucking Sarah?" Her eyes were now pitch black as her anger coursed through her. "Did you think I wouldn't figure it out? That I was that naive? You know that fucking phone of yours accidently dialed here just about an hour ago as you were in the middle of your fuck fest, and I heard everything. And here you are looking at me with that dumbfounded face telling me that you were at the archives last night trying to help little defenseless me when you were fucking little Ms. Sarah."

She was strong but he was no wimp either. He grasped her arms and flipped them over, pinning her roughly against the wood floor causing a crack in the foundation.

"Calm down Bella," he growled.

"How the fuck do you expect me to do that? You lied to me, Jake!" she roared before kicking him off her and quickly standing up. She looked upon him with a murderous glare in her eye. "You lied to me about going on patrol. You lied to me about where you were and worse you lied to me in those woods."

"What do you mean I lied to you in those woods?"

"Don't fuck with me. How could you kiss me when you are not free to do so? How could you tell me those things and ask me not to leave? How could you give me hope and tear it away? How could you? Is this your form of revenge?"

He shook his head.

"She's playing a game with you, Bella!" he screamed. "And you fell right into it. Yes, I admit it, I went to Dean's house to grab the keys for the archives. She was alone and tried to get her way with me and I didn't let her. My phone must have fallen out and she used it to fuck with you. And you instead of trusting me through my couch into Manny."

Bella swallowed and took a deep breath, realizing that Jake had no traces of Sarah's scent on him. Instead, he smelled like parchment, dust and books. Her body shook, realizing that Jake was telling the truth.

"You didn't sleep with her," she stated.

"I would never do that to you," he said in almost a whisper. "I would never give you up, and going to someone else would only ruin whatever chance I had for us. Bella don't you know that I…I love you?"

Bella felt a wave that almost knocked her off her feet as the words engulfed her.

He stood up and his brown eyes captivated hers. He held her cheeks in his palms. "Did you hear me?" he asked. "I said that I love you, Bella. Always have. Please believe me. I would never be satisfied with anyone but you."

"Only me," she repeated softly.

He nodded.

Bella closed her eyes, looking as though she was about to calm down when she thought how she had let Sarah make a fool of her.

"That girl needs to be taught a lesson," she whispered.

Jake had little chance to react before Bella sprinted out the door giving Jake very little time to catch up with her.

0-0-0

Meanwhile, Sarah sat on her porch drinking coffee watching the woods. She couldn't sleep not after the nightmare she had had when had briefly fallen asleep that morning. She had seen her own death at the hands of Bella, a vampire once again in that dream and it was the most chilling experience that going back to sleep was not possible.

_She's just nearly human now,_she said to herself trying to calm her nerves. _She can't hurt me._

She sipped her coffee and turned to place it on the side table when she felt someone staring. She turned and caught a pair of golden eyes glaring at her from the driveway. It was predator versus pray, mountain lion getting ready to strike the stupid deer.

And that's when Sarah feared that perhaps her dream was a premonition and not a dream at all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well...Bella realized she was being played. Guess being out of touch with humans made her rusty on that front. So what do we think should happen to Sarah. I'm sure some of you want very bad things to happen to her...but seriously...what should happen to little Ms. Sarah? Feedback is welcomed.**

**Also...is Bella regressing into vampire? Why do you think this is happening? What did Jake find in his dad's notes? What do you think it means? What do you think will happen next?**

**Keep tune to see the answers. Love to see your reviews and thoughts.**

**Much Love,**

**MSCAROL**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: We finally get to see what happens to Sarah. ENJOY!**

**Oh and all twilight related items belong to SM.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

The blood flushed from young Sarah's face.

Her breath, trapped inside her chest.

This was it, she thought.

Her instinct was to run, to rush into her house and hide under the safety of bed covers. But movement wouldn't come.

Instead, her site was locked on a pair of golden eyes that gleamed with a silent warning; _don't move_.

She watched the creature make it's descent towards the house and onto the porch almost gliding towards her with no sound to be heard, just a quick silent movement that was followed by slow deliberate steps.

Sarah closed her eyes and prayed her end would come quick. Instead she heard the creature say:

"You don't happen to have milk do you?"

Sarah's released that breath stuck inside her chest and looked dumbfounded at the creature.

From all the things she considered would come out of Bella's mouth asking for milk was not one them.

"Yes…yes…we have milk. I'll get some," her voice trembled.

Bella lifted her hand signaling for Sarah to stop. "Oh no. I'll get it. You. Don't. Move."

Sarah swallowed, quelling her desire to cry and scream out for help, afraid of what could happen.

_I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have done it. God, please don't let her kill me,_her mind rang the words over and over in her regret.

Seconds later Bella returned with her own cup of coffee, filled with lots of milk and sugar. She took a sip and moaned. Indeed milk and caffeine were a gift on trying mornings like this.

A beat of silence passed between them. Even the trees made no sound as if they were watching, waiting to see what would unfold.

Bella stood so still like a statue, while Sarah rocked back and forth wanting to ask, _'What are you going to do to me?'_

"You can really get on my nerves kiddo," Bella finally broke the silence, looking suddenly animated and yet alien like.

Bella's kept her sight on the forest, waiting for Jake to make his dashing entrance to save the helpless stupid girl that would dare piss off a vampire.

_But then again wasn't there a time that I stupidly dared piss off many a vampire,_she told herself. She chuckled darkly at her own realization. _What was 17-year-old me thinking?_

She heard Sarah whimper and turned to her. Sarah looked so young and small. It Bella almost felt sorry for her. _Almost._

"So tell me," Bella said before taking another sip of coffee. "How was Jake in bed?"

Sarah blinked a couple of times and swallowed back the saliva that had pooled in her mouth. Any more stress and she would probably puke.

"I'm sorry?" her voice quivered.

"Well, I heard your phone call but couldn't really determine if you were overacting for Jake's sake or if that's really what you sound like when you are in the throws of passion, bit overdone for my taste. You sound like you were having a seizure." She laughed.

Sarah went from looking flushed to looking three shades of red.

"Let me give you some time to think about your answer," Bella offered, taking another drink of coffee. "Do you got any of those muffins you made the other day?"

Sarah nodded.

"New batch in kitchen," was all Sarah could manage to say.

Bella walked into the house and returned in seconds with three different kinds.

"Ah Blueberry, my favorite," Bella said taking a bite. Letting Sarah's thoughts stew while she admitted to herself that the young girl had Emily's baking skills down.

Sarah ran her hand through her hair and tried to form words.

"I…"

"You know, if I wasn't a supernatural creature, I would kick your ass, right?" Bella interrupted. "I mean you're actually kind of lucky that I have to watch out for my strength or else I would seriously punch you in the face for that little stunt you pulled and I wouldn't feel bad about it. Okay…maybe a little bad," Bella said calmly before taking a bite out of a cranberry muffin. "Holy Frak! That was awesome."

"Frak?" Sarah whispered.

"Ah…you wouldn't get the reference," Bella said, playing along for Sarah's sake. "It's from a show that used to come out in the mid 2000s. I was actually enjoying quite an awesome marathon before you interrupted me with that little phone call of yours. Now I keep asking myself what went through your head. I suggest you tell me before I change my mind and snap an arm or hell I will rip off your pinky just to teach you a lesson," she said with a straight face.

Fear trickled down Sarah's spine and she shivered at the idea of such pain.

"You wouldn't," Sarah whispered in a tiny voice.

Bella chuckled before quickly grabbing Sarah's pinky causing Sarah to scream to hills.

"He wasn't here!" she screamed. "He left long before I found the phone."

Bella released Sarah unharmed pinky and took another sip of coffee waiting for Sarah to say more, which Sarah did out of nervousness.

Sarah held her hand as though it was the most precious thing to hold.

"Waiting for an answer here," Bella warned.

Bella lifted her hand slowly aiming towards Sarah when Sarah panicked and screamed, "I was angry, all right! He rejected me for you, something that is not even human." She took deep quick breaths, mixed with fear and anger. "I've loved him since I was a little girl! While he loved you! But you left him. Why the hell would he ever want you back, after what you did to him? You tossed his love in his face and left him for something that wasn't even alive. And now after nearly one hundred years you guys are supposed to pick up like you never left?"

Bella didn't answer. She took a bite of the third muffin and yep it was just as great, as the others.

"You really should open your own muffin business," Bella said changing the conversation before finishing up her coffee and dusting off the crumbs from her very worn pants.

She stood up and walked down the porch back onto the wet soil.

"And not that it matters to you, but it took me a long time to realize how much I was in love with him," Bella said without looking at Sarah. "I was stubborn and didn't want to admit it to myself at the time because I had made a choice about how life should be. But at the end of day I did and do love him and I would do anything for him, including letting your sorry excuse of a 'mean girl' go unharmed. God knows, you deserve a good smacking. In fact…" Bella pulled out the phone that Sarah never even noticed she had taken from her. "I think I will let your dad know. I'm sure he would love to hear that recording of you moaning your head off."

Sarah looked mortified.

Bella smiled widely.

"Or you can behave and leave us alone, and daddy doesn't have to find out just how much of a dirty girl you are. Bye Sarah. Hope I don't have to see you again. Oh…and I'm serious…you really need to start your own muffin business."

She walked off the property and Sarah turned over to the edge of the porch and threw-up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So...nope didn't kill her but I'm sure the poor girl almost pissed her pants.**

**Now what happened to Jake I wonder? Any ideas? Please share.**

**Much Love,**

**MSCAROL**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Have to say this chapter was a tough to write. I kept going back and forth. Kept taking things out putting things back in. It was frustrating. But...I think this is it for this chapter. I'm posting and am crossing my fingers here. Let me know what you think.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

There was a glint of pride on Jake's face as he saw Bella leave the Uley home.

In his opinion, it had served Sarah right for what she did.

However, the protector in him knew it had been a risk to let Bella have her way with the young girl that he had seen grown up and play in the Uley yard.

_She's still just a kid,_he thought, as he remembered all the times he gave her piggy back rides and laughed with her as she told him silly jokes from school. She had in many ways become a bit of a friend when everyone else had kept their distance.

He was after all the last of the great wolves in the mountains of Olympia, a super natural creature that could easily break a human in half with just a flick of his tail. This had left him alone for the most part, with very few relations. And he would admit he would miss interacting with the young woman he had seen grown up.

_If only she could understand,_he thought. He saw her more as a little girl that brought him muffins, casseroles and shared a story or two than an adult to share his life with.

_I hope you find someone worth it, someone who will really love you,_he thought, before running into the forest.

He trailed after Bella. It seemed that even with Bella's somewhat supernatural senses, she couldn't hear him. And so he followed quietly while she seemed to be going over a lot in her mind.

He noticed that her eyes looked troubled but less so than before, as though she was finally approaching some type of conclusion. She stopped at a rock and sat. She looked more supernatural but it was her, still his Bella.

Jake pulled out his father's notebook and again read the passage that stuck out most to him.

_A love of souls,_he found in his father's notes._My son always wondered why he never imprinted. I believe it's because imprinting was nearly a physical manifestation of the wolf finding it's best physical pair for mating. Yet, my son had found something more, he had found his other half,_**_his Alma_**_. And if they ever find each other again, he will bring her back to life. But there is a price that will break his bond to our tribe and for that I'm sad for the loss to our people._

It had been a mixture of happiness and sadness to think that his father believed that Bella was Jake's Alma but at the same time he wondered to himself what it meant for his bond to the tribe to break.

And yet again, he thought he had already removed himself from the tribe letting them live out their normal human lives while he sequestered himself in the mountains away from most. His fellow wolves had already passed on and the young children left behind never underwent the change because no vampire dared step onto the land.

At the end of the day, he was a supernatural creature not meant to live amongst the humans he protected.

It had been quite a lonely existence but now, now he had an opportunity to share his life with the one woman he always loved. And no matter what, he would have her, human or not he told himself before he stepped out to join her.

0-0-0

Minutes before with Bella…

_How am I going to make it up to Jake?_Bella thought as she walked deeper into the woods. _Well for starters a new TV would be in order. But how will I get money?_

She groaned as an immediate response formed in her mind. _The Cullen's money._

She knew she could get access to money and a lot of it. After all, all she needed to do was contact the firm that had access to the old Cullen funds that had probably multiplied since no one had really used them in years. But it felt almost wrong to take that money after what she had done to them. _Should I?_

_Or I can get a job._ She snorted. _What would jobs look like these days? Or Careers for that matter._

She sat by a creek and thought about what it would be like to go to school, to pick a major, study, essays and exams.

_But I'm not human,_she reminded herself. _Not entirely. Wouldn't it be weird if I didn't age? Can I age in this hybrid like state? What am I?_

And for a moment she envied Sarah and young humans. They had so many possibilities open to them, while she was stuck.

It made her think of Rosalie and their conversation on the Cullen porch, another lifetime ago. How she understood her now.

_I want to live,_she thought. _I want to be able to go to college and have a career that I love. I want to travel and grow old with Jake and see our children playing in the yard as we sit on the porch holding each other thinking about how much we got to see together. I want a wall covered in pictures of our adventures. I want to make new friends and laugh…a lot. I want happiness._

She sat on a large rock watching a nearby stream; water seemed so eternal passing through the barely changing forest.

She smiled sadly, thinking that it was more than just wanting to be with Jake that made her want to be human, it was her own dreams that had been put on hold that were urging her to find a solution.

"We'll find a way," she promised aloud to no one in particular. _But first to make it up to him._

Before she moved she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind, it was a comforting feeling, like home as she felt Jake's chin rest on her shoulder.

"I didn't hear you following me," she smiled as relief and warmth coursed through her.

"You're hearing is of an old fart," he teased.

She gasped and they chuckled.

"I followed you as soon as you went out the door," he said.

"Ah…so you were keeping an eye on me," she answered. "I'm surprised you didn't jump out to play hero."

He snorted.

"I didn't think you needed me to save you," he answered.

Bella smiled. "I swear she looked like she was about to pass out on me. Who knew I could be so scary."

"Absolutely terrifying when you're angry," he added playfully. "Thank God…her muffins quailed the beast inside you."

She chuckled and turned to look at him, there was much more light in his eyes these days…and to some degree he looked younger like the boy that had first greeted her when she came back to Forks.

"Even though I have to say, I was…"

He didn't finish what he was saying. He wanted to tell her that he heard her love confession. And how he ached to hear for to whisper the words again, but somehow being close to her made him lose his courage, for he couldn't face the possibility of her denying it.

She felt his worry course through his skin. She brought up her hand and touched Jake's arm, just lightly caressing him as he held her. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Bella closed her eyes taking in every part of his touch.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she apologized. It needed to be said, while it also gave her time to try to come together with a way to tell him how she felt. "I'll try to get you a new Manny."

His jaw look strained as he nodded, a bit of disappointment reflected in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the whole truth. Please believe me that I did it to protect you," he answered, before starting to pull away.

"I do," she whispered, holding his arm not letting him move away from her. Her body shook as she weighed the words she wanted to use. "I shouldn't have overreacted…I guess being cut out of the world so long made it difficult to deal with all these emotions. Everything feels so new and intense it takes over reason every time. I feel like a stupid, jealous teenager sometimes. And worse of all, it seems my emotions control more than just my mood."

"You're not stupid," he countered, hanging onto the word _Jealous_as a sign that she cared. "But I do agree that it seems your mood affects your…abilities. I think…"

He thought about the story, about the words in his father's notebook. But he was caught off guard by Bella's heated glare that watched him through her dark eyelashes.

"Jake…" his name lingered on her lips as she pressed her cheek to his and whispered into his ear. "I need to tell you something important."

"I need to tell you something too," he said in a strained voice.

"Just let me say this," she pleaded.

He swallowed and nodded preparing himself for the worst and praying to God on his knees that it wasn't.

Bella took a deep breath and caressed his cheek with her fingertips. She wanted to speak but more than that she wanted him to feel. She kissed his forehead, then his cheeks and as she pressed her lips to his skin she felt a surge of emotion rise up into her eyes in the form of tears. The feeling was so powerful it hurt.

She felt desperation and wanted to show him what he meant to her. How could she have been so blind to such a good man, she told herself. So many years they had been alone and here he was letting her kiss his cheeks, letting her love him.

Her heart swelled.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks but she didn't care. She prayed God, he could feel what she was trying to convey.

"You deserve more than I can give you," she whimpered lovingly. And before he could protest, she touched his lips with her fingertips and wiggled herself closer for her lips to be inches away from his mouth, "Even if I don't deserve you, I need you to know that I love you…so so much."

Jake sighed, and his body trembled at the words.

He swallowed as the words sank in and his eyes grew wet.

"Say it again," he begged because his mind just couldn't believe it, couldn't process it. It was too much like a dream that had left him haunted years ago in the woods when she had left him.

"I love you," she said again as she pressed her forehead to his, her lips inching closer to his. "I love you."

She pressed her lips to his and it caused a murmur to grow under their skin.

It was soft, salty wetness that they tasted as they gave themselves to the moment, to each other. Their kisses were soft and careful.

"Just once more," he whispered.

"I love you," she smiled.

Their lips continued to move and soon their kiss turned needy.

Her hands grasped his hair and tugged roughly causing him to growl. Her mouth gasped opened feeling a deep murmur of arousal in between her thighs.

The murmur turned into heat causing Bella to dip back giving Jake a chance to attack her neck.

The sensation of his soft hungry lips on her neck caused her body to arch. She latched onto him with her nails and it drove him crazy to think that whatever he threw at her she would be able to handle it.

"You're driving me crazy," he confessed.

She took deep breaths. He was doing the same to her. But she wanted to enjoy this, she wanted to make it last.

"Maybe we need to slow down," she whispered between his kisses on his neck.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, as the animal inside him begged to stake its claim.

"Just love me," she almost cried.

Jake swallowed and nodded. They needed this both of them did.

"I do," he said before placing soft kisses on her cheeks and slowly making a trail over her neck until he found her dead pulse point and covered it with his mouth. She moaned. His kisses were so good she wanted to cry from the pleasure, she wanted the climax but at the same time she never wanted it to end.

His hands slipped under her shirt and pulled it over her head, leaving her bare.

"Beautiful," he mouthed before Bella removed his shirt.

Their naked torsos were flushed with heat and sweat as their excitement grew in their lower abdomens. But still as he promised he loved her.

His hands traveled onto her dips and swells. His lips took in her soft buds causing her almost come undone. It was like a dream, a dream that he had imagined so many times over the century but never got to truly enjoy.

Bella grasped onto his dark raven hair in his hands, taking in every slip and motion of his tongue. She felt almost out of breath, as though she could pass out. But she refused to do it. She wouldn't black out, she told herself, as her body seemed to vibrate and sing.

His lips returned to hers while her fingers trailed down his bare chest, enjoying every canyon and curve of his ripped stomach.

"So beautiful," she said aloud.

Jacob swallowed, the feeling was erotic and yet he never felt so worshiped.

He could feel Bella unbuckle his shorts and as she caressed the bulge of his boxers. He trembled and he loved it.

Soon her pants and his boxers followed and all that was left was two naked bodies on top of smooth rock that was as hot as it's occupants.

Their hands and lips were hungry, wanting to feel, wanting to touch.

"So soft," he murmured before he kissed her apex. "So sweet."

Bella's body felt like it was buzzing, she could barely hear the words. She feared she would black-out from the over heightened feelings, her toes were already curling and almost cramping as she felt Jake's hands stroke her outer lower lips. She bit her lips wanting to beg him to touch her but she would let him have her the way he wanted.

She pressed her hand to her chest, feeling as though she felt a stirring inside her.

_I need to hold on,_she told herself before her mind screamed as she felt Jakes fingers part her and his tongue take a long slow lick.

Her body felt on fire, but it was a delicious pain she would welcome any day.

"Oh God, Jake," she moaned pulling him up to her face and with deep want in her eyes she spoke again: "I need you."

Jake's eyes were dark and hooded as he could feel her sex tease his at the very entrance. She bit her lip as she continued to tease and it was driving Jake crazy.

His hands grabbed her hips tightly lining her up to him. They both stopped, their breathing was deep. She could feel his blood pumping through him, through her. His sex pulsated violently against her demanding it to make the final connection. But again, it was her request that slowed him down he reached up to her and took her lips as he slowly pressed inside her, she gasped her body slowly stretching for him.

He almost lost it but pushed himself through it as he felt the whole forest vibrate around them. Finally with one last push they were one.

She pressed her forehead to his, their bodies connected in flesh and more.

"Your heartbeat is so strong," she murmured as her hands caressed his back. "I can almost believe that it's mine."

"It is yours," he answered before he began to move against her. "All yours."

Their lips met again as their bodies moved and grinded against one another. It was love but it was also primal as everything else in the world disappeared and nothing was left but them.

"Oh Jake," Bella moaned. "Jake…Jake…Jake."

It was a mantra that filled the empty space.

The heat grew. The floor shook. Their bodies rubbed and pressed against one another slowly reaching something more than themselves.

Bella's breathing was deep and fast as she approached something almost like death. Her hands still moved against him, still loving him and thanking God or whatever force out there for the happiness she felt that was burning her insides with sweet delicious pleasure.

"Tell me I'm yours," she begged him as they moved together.

"You're mine," he answered. "All mine."

And with that everything exploded into sweet sensory overload.

White shocking pleasure and pain pulsed through with such rapidness that they almost blacked out.

When she finally regained her breath, Bella knew everything was different.

"Jake?" she whispered.

Jake was still catching his own breath, still within her, his eyes wide open as he saw a pair of dark brown eyes look back at him. And as he held her he felt a thumping sensation under her skin.

"You're heart…" he began.

"It's beating," she finished.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What lies ahead? Just a heads up we are nearing the end.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

"Tell me I'm not dreaming," she whispered with a smile that she couldn't hide.

"You're not dreaming," he answered.

His dark callused hands ran through her hair that was tangled in leaves. It desperately needed a brush. Their rumble in nature had been quite a messy one.

A giggle came out of Bella's mouth, followed by a chuckle and then a full laugh.

She wrapped her naked arms around his bare neck and she hummed happily. There was a peace, a deep wonderful peace that sang through her.

Jake, however, wasn't feeling this same peace.

A little voice inside his head said that there would be a cost to all this.

"Jake," she whispered into his ear. "You look so far away."

He took a deep breath and looked away into the vast quiet woods.

She cupped his chin and brought his line of sight to hers, "What is on your mind?"

"Would you be angry if I said that I'm worried about you being human?" he asked.

She gave him a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?"

"Bella, you're not made of stone anymore. The world can hurt you. I…I can hurt you."

She shrugged.

"I knew the risk. And you know what?" she smiled. "You're worth it."

He shook his head, the face of Emily in his memory, with her deep seeded scars that even in old age never disappeared.

"Jake," Bella groaned. "I've spent nearly a century as an immortal; all by myself. No family, friends or community to keep me company. Can you imagine that type of life?"

He ran his hand through his dark raven hair and imagined what it would have been and it was fathomable.

"It sounds lonely," he answered.

"It was hell," she countered. "Knowing I couldn't approach anyone without the possibility of killing them. And then finally I got control and began to dream and hope that you were still around. I almost lost hope one day when I stepped into town and saw a lit calendar on the wall. It had been over 80 years since we last saw each other. The idea of you being gone it almost broke me but then I found you. And you were…" her eyes glazed over in her memories. "Can you imagine how happy I was to see you? Can you comprehend how much being human again means to me? Can you know what a gift, no a miracle it is to have you above all others back in my life."

He swallowed. How could he respond to that? Instead he kissed her cheek.

"It means the world to me that you're back. But what if…what if I lose control?"

"I'm not the only mortal who has been around a wolf," she said. "Come on, we can't do this to each other. Do you really want to go through the whole I'm a weak human and so I don't have a right to be with you because you're a big strong wolf shifter."

She dipped down and cupped his chin again and kissed him softly.

He let the feeling of her touch flow through him and soothe him.

"Feel me Jake," she whispered. "I'm warm. I'm alive and I'm here with you. We can have so much more now."

"I love you," he voiced.

"As I you," she responded. "Now let's get home. I want to have you in your bed."

0-0-0

After they changed, Bella jumped into Jake's arms and grinned.

Come on wolf-man let's go home.

He smiled and started his sprint but it wasn't as quick as before. He stopped and settled Bella back on the ground.

"That's odd," he said.

He tried to run but nothing, no super human speed.

His heart rate grew rapid as he considered the possibility.

_No,_he thought. _Not again._

He removed his shirt and took off his pants and moved to shift but nothing. Nothing came, no thick paws spread across the ground or sharp senses.

"Bella," he almost cried. "I can't shift."

Panic clogged his throat. He pulled out his notebook and read over his father's words.

"Break the bond with the tribe," he said aloud. "I'm no longer a guardian. I no longer have any reason to stay here."

He took deep breaths and felt a mixture of relief and sadness. He had spent more than half of his life as a shifter and now it was gone, **again**. But unlike before, he had a part in making it happen.

He sat on the cold rock and closed his eyes. He was simply human again with no chance of even saying goodbye to the wolf within.

He soon felt a pair of arms wrap around him.

"Let's go home," he heard her suggest.

He nodded.

_What else was there to do?_

0-0-0-0

It took them the rest of the day to walk through the forest, to return home, by that time it was nightfall, they were famished and exhausted.

They ate in silence, Bella out of sadness for Jake and Jake out of mourning. After they finished, Bella escorted Jake to the bathroom and prepared the bathtub. She soon climbed in with him and together they cleaned the day away off each other's skin.

They didn't bother to change into clothing. Instead, they went to bed and wrapped themselves with a sheet and heavy blanket that they had found in the closet. Jake was no longer a furnace and Bella for the first time in nearly a century felt the cold. Still no words came out of either of them.

Instead, they closed their eyes and let sleep take them.

0-0-0-0

It was not yet dawn but Jake could not sleep. He looked around his home. It was a place meant for a man who lived in the woods. His heart still ached, the wolf was gone, only leaving the memory.

Gently, he got out of bed and changed.

In the living room, he fixed a few things trying to distract himself but he knew it would be best to go out. He returned to the room and wrote Bella a short letter and walked outside. As the threat of dawn began Jake asked himself.

"What now?"

0-0-0-0

The morning rose and Bella found herself in bed alone. She turned to her side and found a note.

_Dear Bella,_

_Went to town to grab a few things._

_Left you breakfast in the kitchen._

_Love,  
>Jake<em>

Bella walked to the living room. She didn't change considering that she was alone and there was really nothing to wear. She ate and pondered upon what her plans should be. On a notepad she searched for the old law firm that was in charge of the Cullen funds. She bit her lip and tapped her foot. Her jittery human tendencies were back as she contemplated what to do with all their money that she knew she could access.

Maybe, I can donate to several charities, she thought. The money is just there might as well be used for something.

She looked up and saw the broken TV and the couch that was now back in its place.

He wouldn't want me to use their money for that, she thought.

Her next plan was looking at different schools. Finding something in the sciences seemed to be the right direction, she thought. The world needed more scientists. But first and foremost she began to build a plan to travel, a plan where her and Jake would go south and see every mainland state before the end of the year.

By the time Jake, returned Bella had routed maps, rest stops where they could sleep and she even managed to set-up a series of accounts that could give access to her own funds that she had inherited when she had married all those years ago. The only problem was the chip that Jake had told her about before. They would need that.

"So is this how I'm going to find you in the mornings?" he asked. "Butt naked."

She laughed.

"I totally forgot I wasn't wearing clothes," she answered.

"You look like you've been busy," Jake said before wrapping his arms around her and kissing her hello. He held her for a few seconds and took in her scent, it was her scent and nothing else. They closed their eyes and just let each other feel.

"I have been busy," she answered. "There are so many things I want to do, but I wanted to discuss them with you first."

"That makes two of us," he answered.

"Okay, you want to go first?" she asked.

He nodded placing his chin on her shoulder.

"I'm selling this place," he said.

That was not expected, she thought.

"Why?" she asked.

"Time to move on," he answered.

"Kind of sudden."

He nodded again.

"Yes, but we're both human now and I thought we could try to live somewhere else. Maybe we'll find a place. Somewhere warmer. Somewhere new. Somewhere where our past isn't present."

She leaned back against him, his arms fully wrapped around her chest.

"I was thinking about having a road trip," she told him. I wanted to go down different states and just see the cities."

"I think that's a great idea," he said. "I actually got in contact with someone to help us with that."

"Wow, here I am thinking I'm getting ahead of myself."

He smiled.

"Well, Bella unlike before we have a finite amount of time. We got to get moving before time just passes us."

She nodded.

"We should pack," he said.

"Well I'm done," she chuckled. "Considering I don't really carry much."

"Ah, I forgot to tell you, I bought you some clothes."

She lifted a brow.

"Really Mr. Black," she teased before another thought emerged in her mind. She turned around to face him and really look at him. She wanted to see and hear his response. "Jake…will you miss it? Shifting?"

He didn't speak for a bit as he contemplated his words.

"I will miss certain things about it," he answered. "But it's like you said, here is our chance to not just end the solitude but to have each other. The best part is, we're free to do it. You're free from your thirst, from your curse. I'm free from the volatile nature that a wolf can have and I'm free from duty. We're free and together, I don't want to risk asking for more."

She smiled and pressed herself against him.

"I want more," she said teasingly, her thin fingers caressing his cheeks.

He smiled sensing her mood.

"Already," he said. "Will you never be sated?"

She smiled. "I'll never have enough of you."

They kissed and his hands quickly made it to her butt to pick her up. She squealed in surprise and he smiled happily.

"I guess we have to test your stamina then," he said before marching back to the bedroom, where they spent the rest of the day.

THE END

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><p><strong><em>AN: We are at our end. But I will follow with an epilogue very soon._**

**_Thank you for everyone who has reviewed. It really motivates me to continue with my stories. Much LOVE!_**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

8-years-later

**University of Louisiana: New Orleans**

"We sit here today in a room full of great students who are now embarking on their young lives into adulthood," the head dean smiled. "There's a whole world out there that still needs a lot to clean-up and you guys will definitely be the generation to do it. You have the skills and we expect you to go out and do good…"

"If only he knew that they had a pair of old geezers in the group," Jake whispered into Bella's ear.

Bella smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I still feel young, not a day over twenty-six, thank you very much," she grinned.

It had been 8-years since they left Forks and they had never gone back. They had spent the first two years, traveling across the country living out of a van that Jake had bought with some of the funds from selling his cabin, bikes and other items that he claimed he didn't want or need anymore. Everything else for the most part were off in a storage room, forgotten.

Eventually, after seeing all the sites from the biggest ball of yarn to the renovated statue of liberty that was now a shiny copper. They had their ups and their downs but through it all they had grown closer. They were friends in love. Eventually, the two had decided to attend school. In the process, they bought a small home that they filled with all their mementos and likes. The walls were full of pictures of their times together across the country, just two kids exploring the world. They had already planned their trip to China, they would be there for two years, working with a set of scientist working on replenishing water supplies. He was excited and couldn't wait to show Bella all the places he loved.

"Do you think Jamie and Carol will want to take us out to dinner tonight?" Bella asked, bringing Jakes thoughts back to the graduation.

Jamie and Carol were an older couple that Jake and Bella had be-friended one afternoon while walking through a farmer's market. The pair were into collecting vintage items from clothes to equipment and were impressed with how much the 'young couple' knew about the past.

"I hope not," Jake answered. "I have something planned."

"You do?" Bella asked. "Jake you know I don't like surprises."

"You keep saying that but you can't lie to me, you're already dying with excitement."

She looked down and tried to hide her grin. He did know her, better than anyone.

"Fine, then I won't tell you what I have planned for later, tonight," she teased.

He lifted a brow and grinned.

"Hmmm I can only imagine the possibilities," he teased into her ear.

Bella shivered. All this time together and he still could drive her crazy with anticipation.

"Can the graduates please stand," they heard the moderator say.

"Everyone, please help me congratulate our Masters of Science and Technology graduates!" The Dean hollered.

0-0-0-0

The evening was warm and humid. Bella loved it.

"So where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see," Jake smiled. "By the way, I love that dress on you."

She chuckled.

"Thank you this wonderful man gave it to me this morning and I couldn't resist trying it on."

"Glad you did," he said.

They walked into a small cottage restaurant at the end of the street. It was decorated with red and blue roses across the pathway. The whole place was done up beautifully had a little bit of old Orleans charm.

"Ah Mr. Black," the hostess smiled. "We've been waiting for you."

They were escorted into the garden, neuvoux jazz could be heard from the inside of the restaurant but it wasn't so loud that they couldn't hear one another.

"All this for me?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Come on, sit," he said.

They sat together on their cushioned iron steel chairs, watching the fireflies in the distance of the dark portions of the luscious green garden.

"How did you find this place?" she asked.

"I've known about it for years," he said. "I came here once a long time ago before you came back into my life. I always wanted to bring you here."

Bella leaned back in her chair.

"Why wait so long?" she asked. "We've lived here for 6-years now."

He nodded.

"The timing had to be right," he answered. "But I'll talk more about that after dinner."

They feasted on delicious spicy dishes and perfectly cooked steaks before dessert was in order.

"A dark chocolate mousse, yum," Bella smiled.

Jake took a spoon full and fed her. Bella closed her eyes taking in every intense taste. Jake looked upon her, she had grown into a beautiful woman with full hips and lush breast. And there was something more to her, a bigger smile and brighter eyes. There was always a glow to her now. No longer was she the fumbling eternal teenager. She was a woman, his woman.

"Jake this is so…" Bella opened her eyes to see Jake before her on one knee.

He looked older as well, in his early 30s, with slight signs of crinkles in the corners of his eyes, that made him even more handsome and good as he ever had been.

"Jake?"

"It was 2022," he said. "I was coming into town and was walking around when I saw this little place. It made me think of you. Even after all those years I couldn't escape you. You had been with me all along. I came in and started to imagine what it would be like for us to come here from day. It was foolish of me I know but I allowed myself to dream that day. I thought about brining you here on a special occasion, not just any occasion like an anniversary but some turning point in our lives, like today. You were here with me and we enjoyed great food, chocolate mousse and jazzy music. And when the moment was right, I would get on my knee, you were wearing a beautiful red dress as you are now and me telling you how much I need you. Well it's been a long time coming and even after 8 great years together, I still want more and I will always want more from you because you are my life. I love you Bella Swan. Will you marry me?"

Bella's hands came up to cover her face, it had been so long since a tear ever had a need to gush down her face and here they were. She laughed and she cried, laughed and she cried. This moment was as wonderful as the moment she had become human. She nodded.

"Is that a yes?" Jake smiled.

"Yes," she said in a shaky happy voice.

Jake pulled out a small ring, covered in blue sapphires and diamonds.

"As unique as you," he said as he slipped it on.

"It's beautiful," she smiled.

He leaned up and kissed her before she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The music continued to play, the fireflies continued to buzz around, life was moving forward and like this moment was still full of surprises and the unexpected.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this is truly goodbye for these two. We can go and imagine what life has ahead. **

**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this story. It meant the world to me. Now I'm off to continue moving into my own story, which I have learned is always full of the unexpected.**

**BEST**

**MSCAROL**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Yes, I know I had ended this but I couldn't resist providing you guys an update. I had already foreseen this and well...let's just say the story was pandering me to write another chapter. I really did fall in love with these two. I hope you did too. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

4-years-later

**Late December**

Overlooking the waterfront from up of the hill, Bella took in the familiar site.

"It looks mostly the same," Bella said to Jake as they made traction down the hill to the familiar place.

"Yep, wet, gloomy and chilly," he said. "That and the historical society made sure this place was kept in tact, especially after the city recovered from that massive flood in 2048."

"Oh yeah, I read about that, I forgot."

A gust of wind hit them and Jake shivered.

"Missing the warm weather already?" she teased.

He gave her a challenging look.

"I'm not the one wearing two layers of thermal wear, with several layers of clothing, sweater and jacket," he pointed to her heavy attire.

"Yeah, well, my old age of, I guess technically 32-years-old is getting to me, my bones hurt in this weather."

"And your cheeks are all pink," he observed caressing his thumb on her temple before leaning in for a kiss.

She smiled before her stomach made a fierce growl.

They laughed.

"So where did she say she had her shop?" he asked.

"She's three doors down from the original Starbucks," she said.

"I still can't believe how popular her muffins have become."

"Yeah, well I'm not surprised, God just thinking about them makes my mouth water. Especially since she promised me a fresh batch of blueberries."

Jake laughed. He hadn't been to keen to stop in Seattle before but now there after walking down the familiar streets, he felt a sense of coming home. And within a few days they would travel back to Forks and visit his tribe. It was an overdue homecoming, even if it was just a visit.

The first few years, they had maintained their distance and gone out on their own but Jake couldn't resist reaching out to the Uley family to see how the center was doing and just overall how all the descendants of his friends were fairing. During the process Bella kept asking about Sarah. Sure, she had mentioned that she never wanted to see the girl again, but something about Sarah had left Bella wanting to know more.

It wasn't until one day Jake, finally said, 'why don't you write to her and ask how she is yourself,' that Bella finally took initiative to write to Sarah directly. It started simply.

_Have you started selling your muffins yet?_ And after a few days Sarah responded. It was weird at first with a little bit of tension but that all soon fell away and they became friends. It was kind of nice to have someone who knew all about the madness that Bella and Jake had lived through, even if it was second hand.

There was so many times with her friends back home in New Orleans, that she had almost dropped her guard when she would almost mention her past lives. It didn't help with the melencholy that would sometimes get to her, she had missed out on the greatness of her own time. Immortality had robbed her of her youth and there was no way for her to transport to the past and start anew. But she couldn't complain. She loved her life, career, friends and Jake.

Through the years Jake and Bella had enjoyed to learn more about one another, finding more reasons to love and laugh. But it hadn't always been easy, they both were stubborn and passionate about their work that when Bella obtained a fellowship in Australia to work on new system attempting to rebuild the ozone layer, she insisted for Jake to tag along. However, Jake couldn't leave New Orleans since he was under contract at the university as an assistant professor, plus he honestly loved his work and he feared he would not come by another job so easily down under. When Bella mentioned he could live off her money for a few years, it ended up in a hell of a showdown, which was followed by days of silence where they were too angry to discuss. It was only until finally Jake broke down and demanded that she talked to him that they were able to patch things up and come up with a hard but doable solution.

They would live apart, and so for two whole years they lived in separate nations, barely seeing each other. Sure, they saw each other through virtual telepresence but it wasn't the same without touch or eating meals together, especially when your time zone was several hours difference. It had been tough but also good. It gave themselves time to get to know others and make friends outside of each other.

"Look they have reeds made out of dry chiles, we should get some," Bella said.

"Okay, stop acting like a tourist, let's get to the shop," Jake pushed her along.

"Oh look the cheese store, it's still here! Let's get some mac and cheese for lunch."

"Muffins first," he reminded her.

Soon they could see the sign 'Sarah's muffins.' It had been a long journey but here it was, a small in-house business now a big bristling bakery in the famous Pike's Market with several eager customers across the Northwest.

"You know she refuses to open more shops outside the Northwest," Bella groaned.

"You tell me all the time," he reminded her.

The whole shop came into view with a line as long as the old Starbucks place. Inside, a very happy Sarah distributed orders as busy baristas were taking orders. Bella smiled and waved. Sarah caught site of them and walked out.

"Oh my God!" she smiled, walking out in her bright red dress, looking more flush and beautiful in her middle age. "You made it."

She walked towards Jake and Bella and gave them a big hug.

"Happy to see you are doing well," Bella said.

"Is it like this all the time?" Jake asked.

"Pretty much," she said with a big grin. "Come on in, I have a spot for you guys out by the windows upstairs so we can sit and eat."

"Yes, let's do that," Bella smiled.

0-0-0-0

Jake and Bella sat on couch in the hotel overlooking the view again. The water appeared so crisp and cold and it was breathtaking. Jake placed his head on Bella's lap and they stared out into the vast open water banks. It had been a long day of site seeing and eating.

They had even had a chance to visit the Woodland park zoo, which Jake swore the white wolves were plotting their escape. Bella had just nodded and let him have his say, wondering if he missed shifting.

Bella's fingers curled into his hair and she smiled, he looked so young when he was relaxed. Teaching at the university had definitely earned him a few gray hairs.

_So beautiful, _she thought to herself remembering a time when she had said that lifetimes ago. She wouldn't say aloud that she missed his long hair, there was something beautiful about his long black locks that she missed. And then an old thought emerged again, that of children.

_A little boy and a little girl, _she thought.

They had rarely discussed children, perhaps because they were too focus trying to live their lives and earn their degrees, that it was really something they rarely put thought to. But just in case, Bella had been on a steady stream of birth control shots that she would take every two years. She had missed her last appointment, she had never forgotten but with this whole trip it had been pushed aside.

_Could I even conceive if I wanted to? _she asked. _Never know if I don't try. Never know if I don't ask Jake what he wants. And what if we can't? What if he wants to?_

"Hey," she heard his voice. It was reinvigorating how his voice could pull her out of her trance. "You're off in your own head again."

She smiled.

"I guess being alone for 100 years still has its lingering affects," she said.

"All sorts of dialogue going on in there without me," he continued.

She nodded.

"What were you wondering about?"

"Stuff," she evaded the specifics.

"Like?"

She tilted her head and kissed his forehead.

"Children," she admitted.

Jake slowly sat up and turned to Bella.

"Children?"

"Two," she admitted. "A boy and a girl."

He nodded.

"Not sure if it's possible for us," she continued. "But it was something I have been thinking about since I came back from Australia."

He sighed and nodded.

"I've been thinking about it, too," he admitted.

"You have?" she grinned.

He nodded.

"Of course I have," he said, hold her hands in his. "I told you this, once."

She shook her head and frowned at him.

"When?"

He sighed. She could tell he regretted bringing it up.

"It was long ago, I said it during a dance, in another life," he reminded her.

She swallowed, it had been the one truly vivid moment from her first wedding day that she could recall with fierce detail. His pleading face, his tight embrace and warm words that hit her core making her think of what could have been if she had chosen him.

"You probably don't..."

"I do remember," she interrupted.

And then she stood up and walked towards the window, looked out into the direction of the deep forest. She hadn't stepped into a forested area since they had left Washington nearly over a decade ago, but she could remember it so clearly.

"That dance was my first clear memory of you. At first, I couldn't hear the words, just your face and the feel of your embrace and then one day, I remembered your voice asking me, 'Can you see the times we still have ahead?'" she quoted him. "I was still in deep with blood lust, deep in a world where nothing was ahead of me but time. But that memory brought back my humanity. It was that memory that gave me hope."

Jake embraced her from behind and kissed the top of her head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to send you back there into those times," he apologized.

"We knew coming back here would make us remember parts of ourselves better forgotten but it's good to visit the past sometimes."

"Just not live there," he finished.

She nodded.

"So back to this children, conversation," he said.

She smiled and turned back to him.

"Yes, children. So what do we do?" she asked.

At this Jake just chuckled and kissed her deeply, causing Bella to shiver and moan.

"Well Bella," he spoke in a deep alluring voice. "When a man and a woman love each other..."

She laughed and smacked his shoulder.

"Smart alec," she said, before she yelped in surprise as Jake picked her up and carried her off to the bedroom.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!


End file.
